


Storybook Romance

by angstytimelord



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Fluffy fluffity fluff, M/M, Romance, Weddings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-14
Updated: 2017-11-06
Packaged: 2018-03-30 13:53:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 31
Words: 27,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3939286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angstytimelord/pseuds/angstytimelord
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Will and Hannibal want their wedding -- and the life they'll lead as a married couple -- to be absolutely perfect. But in the everyday world, perfection may not exist.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Perfect Storybook Beginning

Will looked down at the ring on his finger, admiring the sparkle.

Could it be true that he was actually engaged to Hannibal? Was he really going to marry the man he loved? It didn't seem possible that his dreams could be coming true.

Those dreams had started falling into place only a few weeks ago. He would never have thought that everything could be so perfect, that his life could run so smoothly.

But somehow, it was. He was living with Hannibal, and actually enjoying the time that he spent in Baltimore. They still had his house in Wolf Trap, of course. It was their getaway, their place to go to be alone, to relax and unwind. It wasn't something that they had to give up.

Even trying to plan the wedding hadn't been as hard as Will had thought it would be, though they were still going over some details of what they wanted.

He had to laugh at that, running his hand through his hair. He wasn't good with the wedding planning. He was leaving most of that to Hannibal and his superior taste.

It still seemed like a dream, a fairy tale that would have the storybook happy ending.

But this wasn't an ending, was it? he asked himself. This was only the beginning of his life with Hannibal. One chapter was ending, yes, but a new one was starting.

He had won the handsome prince. Hannibal was his; they were going to get married and live happily ever after. But that storybook phrase wasn't the end of anything.

No, it was just the beginning. Happily ever after would take a lot of work; Will didn't doubt that. He knew that it took work to make relationships good; it was one reason why he had resisted becoming involved with anyone for so long. He hadn't thought that he was capable of that kind of commitment.

No, it wasn't the commitment he doubted, he corrected himself. If he was honest with himself, he hadn't wanted to look past that storybook ending.

He hadn't wanted to put that kind of work into a relationship, really. it would take away from his work, take away from who he had always thought he was.

It was only recently that he'd come to realize the truth -- that being in a relationship wouldn't take anything away from him, but instead, that relationship would _add_ to his life. It would make his life richer, fuller, more satisfying. It would give him so much that he'd never had before.

And somehow, some way, he had been lucky enough to fall into a relationship with the man of his dreams, he man who he had fallen for from the first time they'd met.

It was still hard for him to believe that Hannibal felt the same way about him, that the man he loved actually wanted to _marry_ him. He didn't know how he'd gotten so lucky.

But he had, and he was determined to make that storybook phrase into a reality.

Winning the prince was the easy part, Will thought with a smile. It was _keeping_ him, building a life with him, that would take some work.

Making Hannibal happy was going to be his first priority from now on. In front of work, in front of everything else. He'd try his best to make his lover never regret being with him.

Maybe they wouldn't have the perfect storybook ending. Maybe their romance wouldn't always be smooth sailing -- in fact, he was sure that it wouldn't be. The two of them were both stubborn, opinionated men; Will was sure that they would be in for some rocky paths ahead.

But they would be able to make everything work out in the end; he was sure of that, too. He and Hannibal loved each other, and love could overcome all obstacles.

At least, he hoped that it could. He had never really believed that it did in the past, but now, being in love had given him an entirely new way of looking at relationships.

So much had changed in his life since he'd fallen for Hannibal.

His life was so much better now; he was no longer the lonely, somewhat bitter man that he'd been. He had found love, and it was the best thing that had ever happened to him.

That love wasn't going to end, Will told himself, unable to keep back his smile. The perfect storybook ending didn't mean that everything came to a grinding halt. it just meant that one chapter had been written, and the ending had been a great one that paved the way for the next chapter to be written.

He and Hannibal would write that chapter, and the succeeding ones. They would make a happy life for themselves, a life that would keep getting better as they went along.

No, this wasn't an ending at all. Only a beginning.

That thought made him smile as he got to his feet, leaving the bedroom and heading downstairs, knowing that Hannibal would be making breakfast for the two of them.

Their life together would be the perfect storybook _beginning_ , Will told himself as he made his way through the house to the kitchen, the smile on his face reflecting the joy that he felt in his heart.


	2. The Happiest Man in the World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will thinks back to the day that he and Hannibal were engaged.

Will smiled as he leaned against the kitchen doorway, watching Hannibal make breakfast.

He could still remember everything about the day that Hannibal had proposed to him, right here in this kitchen. It hadn't felt planned, rehearsed. It had been spontaneous.

The words had come from Hannibal's heart and soul. He had known that; he'd seen his lover's heart in his eyes, known that Hannibal meant every word he'd said.

if he closed his eyes now, he would be taken back to that day, to those words, to the tone of Hannibal's voice as he'd knelt in front of him, taken his hand, and poured out all the love that was in his heart. He could still hear every word; they were all etched on his heart for eternity.

Every word that had been spoken, every glance that they'd exchanged, was something he'd always remember. That day had been a wonderful, shining moment for him.

He drifted off into the memories, a smile on his lips, his eyes closed, his mind going back to what had, thus far, been the happiest day of his life.

_Two weeks ago ...._

Hannibal was looking at him across the table with such a strange look on his face that Will wondered if something was wrong; his lover looked almost .... well, _afraid_.

"Hannibal, is something wrong?" he asked, concerned. He wanted to know why Hannibal looked so cautious, as though he had something that he wanted to say, but didn't know quite how to say it. "Is there anything I can do?" He felt lost at sea, bewildered, not knowing if he'd done something wrong.

if he had upset his boyfriend in some way, then he wanted Hannibal to tell him what he'd done, so he could fix it. He _needed_ the reassurance that they were all right.

"No, Will, nothing is wrong," Hannibal said, his voice very soft. He got to his feet, coming around the table to where Will sat, then kneeling in front of him.

Will was more bewildered than ever. What was Hannibal doing? Why was he kneeling there at his feet? When his mind connected the other man's posture with what Hannibal might be trying to tell him, Will's blue eyes widened, and his mouth dropped open in a soft gasp.

Hannibal took both of Will's hands in his, looking up at the young man, his dark eyes shining with what Will was sure was the light of love.

He'd never seen Hannibal look like this; so earnest, so .... _open_.

"Will, I love you," Hannibal said softly, squeezing Will's hands gently in his own. "I have wanted to ask you this question for a while now. I feel that it is finally the right time."

Will held his breath, his eyes wide, his heart pounding in his chest. He was sure that he knew what Hannibal was going to ask him, but he had to wait for the words.

"Ever since I first met you, I have wanted you to be mine, Will," Hannibal continued, his voice very soft in the quiet of the room. "I want us to twine our lives together, so spend eternity with each other. William Kyle Graham, will you marry me and make me the happiest man in the world?"

Will's breath came out in a rush; he had expected these words, but hearing them almost made him feel faint. Hannibal had actually _proposed_ to him.

There was only one answer that he could give, of course. The answer that was on his lips, and in his heart. The answer that Hannibal wanted to hear.

"Yes," he whispered, tears pricking behind his eyes.

There was no other word that he could say, no other word that he _wanted_ to say. This was all that he had ever wanted; he'd never been happier than he was at this moment.

"Yes," he said again, his voice stronger this time, the happiness that he felt coming through in that one syllable. "Yes, Hannibal, of course I'll marry you. I love you, too."

Hannibal had gotten to his feet, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small velvet box. Will had gasped when he had opened it to reveal the diamond-studded platinum band, taking the ring out and slipping it onto Will's finger. It had, of course, fit perfectly -- Hannibal knew his ring size.

When Hannibal had pulled him into those strong arms for a searing, passionate kiss, Will had gladly acquiesced, his heart and soul singing with joy.

He was going to marry the man he loved. They were engaged. They were going to spend the rest of their lives together, and they were going to have a long and happy future.

He could hardly wait for that future to arrive.

Hannibal turned around from the stove and smiled at him, bringing Will's attention back to the present. He held a large plate of pancakes aloft, gesturing for Will to sit down.

"Sit down and have breakfast, Will," his fiancé told him, a smile on his face. "We have pancakes, bacon and scrambled eggs. And there is both coffee and orange juice. Breakfast is an important meal, and I think that you should make the most of it before you rush off to work."

As he sat down at the table, Will couldn't help but smile. He was the happiest man in the world at the moment, and he didn't think that anything could happen to make that happiness disappear.

If being engaged could make him this happy, then he couldn't wait to be married.


	3. Tranquil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannibal is determined to do everything possible to preserve the tranquility he's found with Will.

Hannibal was sure that he'd never felt this happy before.

He couldn't hold back a smile when he looked at Will; the man he loved was gazing back at him with what could only be called the light of love in those blue eyes.

It still amazed him that Will had agreed to marry him, and that his young lover was living with him now. Within a few months, they would be a married couple.

He hadn't begun the wedding plans yet; he'd thought about it, but he wanted both of them to savor being engaged first, to enjoy the moments that would lead up to the wedding. The planning could start later, after they had decided on a date, and had gotten used to being engaged.

It was still so new for both of them, this feeling of happiness, of having a future together. It was a feeling to enjoy, to savor to the fullest extent.

And with it came a feeling of tranquility such as he'd never experienced before, a feeling that all was right with the world, that nothing could take away his happiness.

He had waited a lifetime to feel this way.

No one else had ever given him this feeling of tranquility. No one else had ever cared enough to do so -- and he'd never let anyone else get close enough to him to even try.

Will was the first person who he had let into his heart. And there was no one else he wanted to be with more, no one else who he would attempt to give up his secret life for. He _did_ intend to try, though he wasn't entirely sure whether or not he would succeed in doing so.

He really didn't feel the need for that life so much any more, though, he mused. He didn't feel the need to kill, or to use human body parts as food.

Was it love that was making that innate need go away?

Hannibal wasn't sure, but he wanted to find out. He wanted to explore his feelings about giving up that side of his life, but that had to be done privately.

He knew that he couldn't tell Will about that side of his life; that was a given. Will would instantly know that he was the Chesapeake Ripper, the killer that he had been seeking so assiduously. And Hannibal had no doubt that in spite of Will's love for him, his fiancé _would_ turn him in.

Will would have no choice but to do so. He was a man of integrity, of strict morals. And truth be told, Hannibal didn't want him to change. He loved Will just as he was.

So, he would have to give up that side of himself.

Could he do that? Could he maintain this inner tranquility, this feeling of complete peace with the world, if he didn't have that private violence to turn to?

All he could do at this point was hope that it was possible, and work towards making it so. He hoped that he could control his urges; he wanted to put that part of his life behind him.

He wanted to maintain the tranquil life he had now; he wanted the two of them to be completely happy in their future life together. If he continued to keep the secret life that he had now, then there would be too much between them for this tranquility to last for very long.

And he didn't want to keep secrets from Will. He wanted his fiancé to know everything about his life -- well, at least the life that they would have together.

He couldn't let Will know about the past. If he did, then that strict morality of his would take over, and again, he would find himself behind bars, no matter how much Will loved him.

That wasn't the life he wanted for either of them.

No, he wanted the tranquility that they had now, the two of them sitting here at the breakfast table, ready to start their day. He wanted to have this for the rest of his life.

Would that be possible? Hannibal had no idea about that, but he was determined to try his best to make that wish a concrete reality. It wouldn't be easy for him to give up the appetites he had nurtured for all of his life, but for Will, and their future together, he would try his utmost.

"What are you thinking about?" Will asked him as he took a bite of scrambled eggs. "You look so serious, Hannibal. I hope you're not having second thoughts."

Hannibal laughed softly, shaking his head in answer.

"Never," he murmured, his gaze resting on the man he loved. "No, I was thinking about our future, Will. A future that I want to be just as tranquil and relaxing as this moment is."

He _would_ make that wish become a reality, Hannibal told himself firmly. No matter what he had to do, he would keep this tranquility that he'd found in his life.

It might not be easy, but he would manage it somehow. After all, he had taken on difficult tasks before, hadn't he? he asked himself. But he had never tried to turn his back on that side of his life before; he wasn't sure that he would have the willpower to do so.

No. He _would_ do it. For Will. For their future together.

Above all else, he wanted to make Will happy, and be a good husband to him. And he couldn't do that if he was keeping secrets, and trying to lead a double life.

He would turn his back on his past, and their future would be as tranquil as he could possibly make it. He would rise to the challenge -- and be the victor in the end.


	4. The Best Day Ever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will worries that he won't be much use at helping Hannibal plan their wedding.

Planning a wedding definitely wasn't going to be easy.

Will grimaced as he looked down at the sheet of blank paper in front of him. He had thought that it would be a good idea to write down what they would need for the reception.

He had been so sure that he would fill pages with good ideas for their wedding and the reception to follow, that he would be able to throw himself into the planning.

But so far, he hadn't managed to think of a thing. He'd been to a few weddings, but he couldn't remember a thing that he'd seen at the receptions. He couldn't really remember much about the weddings, either. They all seemed like a blur to him; nothing really stood out.

Why couldn't he remember anything? Will looked down at the paper in frustration, clutching the pen tightly in his hand. This wasn't how he wanted things to go.

He wanted everything about their wedding to go smoothly. He wanted the wedding, and the reception after it, to be a perfect dream day for both of them.

If he kept this up, it might not even happen.

Will closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to calm himself down. Of course their wedding would happen. He was being ridiculous. Hannibal would take over the planning.

His fiancé was much better at making plans than he was. He really should let Hannibal handle everything; he was no good at this kind of organizing.

But that wouldn't be fair to Hannibal, he told himself firmly. He shouldn't dump all of the plans on the other man; it was his wedding too, after all, and he should be involved in every aspect of the plans, just as Hannibal was. His boyfriend would be disappointed if he backed away from it all.

He couldn't let himself do that. This was _their_ wedding, and they should both be involved in it every step of the way, even if he found the planning stage daunting.

Hannibal would need help planning this wedding. His fiancé was a busy man; he couldn't be expected to put it all together on his own.

Of course, he had his own work, and Hannibal's mind was much more suited to planning an event like this than his was. He knew that his lover enjoyed putting together dinner parties; a wedding was a much bigger event, but the scope of it was something that would intrigue Hannibal.

Still, he wasn't going to let himself sit back on the sidelines and simply watch. They _both_ had to take part in this; it was a joint effort.

If he wanted their wedding to be perfect, then he had to play a part in it other than just walking down the aisle and saying "I do." He had to add his voice to the planning.

Even if he had no earthly idea what he was doing.

So much could go wrong with a wedding and reception, Will thought, wincing. And his tendency to be antisocial wasn't going to help matters much.

But this was his _wedding_. His friends would be there, people who wished him and Hannibal well and wanted to see them happy. He didn't need to hide from them.

He would just have to make an effort to be social. It shouldn't be hard, at least not on that particular day. He would share that day with his friends and colleagues, let the happiness that he shared with Hannibal spread to them. It would be a good day for everyone involved.

It didn't matter that a part of him felt that a wedding should be private, for the two people who were pledging themselves to each other. That wouldn't really seem right.

He knew that Hannibal was proud of him, and wanted to share their joy with his circle of friends. He was willing to do that for his lover. He could be social at their wedding.

He wanted the day to be perfect for Hannibal, too.

This wedding _would_ be perfect for both of them, he told himself firmly. They would both participate in planning it, and it would be just as they both wanted.

They might each have to compromise a little, but that was what relationships were all about, wasn't it? Compromising to make the person you loved happy.

He would defer to Hannibal on any decisions that they disagreed on. After all, his fiancé knew more about things like this than he did; Hannibal was used to planning events for a large number of people. And he wouldn't do anything that he knew Will wouldn't be comfortable with.

Maybe he should ask Hannibal to talk with him about what _he_ wanted for the reception, Will told himself, smiling at the thought. Hannibal would put him on the right track.

Why hadn't he thought of that before? Talking with his lover about what they both wanted would bring his ideas to the forefront. That would obviously be the best thing to do.

He got to his feet, glad that he'd made that decision. 

Their wedding day would be perfect for both of them because they were marrying each other, he told himself. That was really the only thing that mattered. 

Picking up the blank sheet of paper, he left the room that he was using for his home office to make his way downstairs to Hannibal's office, a smile on his face.

The wedding would be perfect. They'd work to make it the best day ever.

As for himself, he was marrying the man he loved. That would make every day of his life perfect.


	5. One Small Compromise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will is a bit upset when Hannibal's schedule for the day is too full for them to be able to visit wedding chapels.

"But, Hannibal, we need to look at these things _together_."

Will hated that his voice sounded whiny, but he couldn't keep that needy tone from his words. He'd had a long day, and he was feeling more than a little stressed.

Why couldn't Hannibal understand that he wanted them to look at the possible venues for their wedding together? He didn't want to take tours of wedding chapels by himself.

Hannibal sighed softly, reaching across the table to lay a hand on his fianc&eacute''s. "I'm so sorry, Will, but I have patients to see all day tomorrow. I can't make it to a scheduled tour. I could do it the day after, perhaps, but tomorrow is already booked solid for me."

Will nodded glumly, accepting Hannibal's words, though he felt reluctant to do so. He didn't want to look at the two wedding chapels he'd made appointments at alone.

Somehow, it didn't seem right that _he_ seemed to be the only one who was concerned with _where_ they got married. He wanted it to be a lovely place.

It wouldn't feel right for Hannibal not to pick out the venue with him.

"I'll reschedule the appointments," he said, feeling as though his heart lightened with the words. "I'm not going to look at them without you by my side."

Hannibal smiled at him, squeezing his hand gently. "I was hoping that you would say that, Will," he said, his voice very soft. "I want to look at the prospective venues with you."

Will couldn't doubt the sincerity in those words.

Why had he felt, just for a moment, that Hannibal wasn't interested in looking at the wedding chapels, that the place where they were to be joined in matrimony didn't matter to him?

Of course it mattered, he told himself firmly. Hannibal wanted them to get married in the perfect setting just as much as he did. It wasn't his fault that he had a busy day tomorrow.

He would just have to make appointments for them to look at wedding chapels on days when Hannibal wasn't so swamped with work. He'd had to make time in his own busy schedule of teaching and working in the field with Jack to set up those appointments, but he'd have to cancel them.

If the proprietors of those chapels were annoyed with him, well, that was too bad. But he and Hannibal needed to see these places together, as a couple.

Even if it _was_ hard to coordinate their schedules to fit perfectly, he'd find a way to do it. They just both had to be willing to shuffle their schedules a bit.

He wanted to do everything involved with their engagement and wedding together as a couple. That was one of the whole points of getting married, wasn't it?

He and Hannibal weren't going to be one of those couples who let the other person handle part of the wedding plans, Will told himself firmly. They were going to do this together, as a couple, with both of them having input on every little thing. He was sure that Hannibal wanted that, too.

That was how it _should_ be done, with both people making all of the choices. Even if they both had to give up some of their own ideas and compromise a bit.

He didn't mind doing that. After all, it was _their_ wedding, not just his own.

None of his dreams of what he thought was the perfect wedding were so close to him that he couldn't let himself be able to compromise to accommodate Hannibal's dreams, as well.

"We really need to agree on the venue together," he said softly, "I want it to be the perfect place for both of us. And I think that we'll know that place when we see it."

Hannibal nodded, smiling as he picked up his fork.

"Of course we will go to view the various wedding chapels together, and we will make our decision together, Will," he said, his tone gentle. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Will felt himself relaxing at Hannibal's words; he should have known that his fiancé would feel this way. He shouldn't have had any doubts about how Hannibal felt.

Of course the man he loved wanted to share the experience of picking out the venue for their wedding ceremony with him. How could he ever have thought otherwise? They would make the decisions for their wedding together, and it would be exactly as they both wanted it to be.

This was something that the two of them would share, something they would look back on and remember for all of their lives. Something that they would do as a _couple_.

Together. The way that they had always been meant to be, the way that they would spend the rest of their lives. A couple, bound to each other in their hearts and souls.

Just thinking about it brought a warm glow to Will's heart, and a smile to his lips.

With that thought in mind, he picked up his fork, suddenly ravenous. He'd have to do some shuffling around of his schedule, but he could change the appointments to another day.

It was just one small compromise to make -- and one that he and Hannibal had decided on together. Just as they would decide everything in their lives from now on.


	6. The Right Thing To Say

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will is worried that inviting so many people to the wedding will make him feel inadequate and uncomfortable.

Will looked up at Hannibal with a frown, tapping a pen against his lips. "Hannibal, how many guests are we planning to have at the wedding and the reception?"

This had been something that was gnawing at him. For some reason, he felt inadequate, knowing that he wasn't inviting many people to their wedding.

Did Hannibal see him as being nearly friendless?

Well, if he was honest with himself, he more or less _was_ virtually friendless, Will thought with a soft sigh. He really wasn't close to very many people.

Actually, he wasn't close to anyone at all. He was friends with the people he worked with, of course, but Hannibal was the only person he was really _close_ to.

He couldn't say that anyone other than his fiancé truly _knew_ him. But that was mainly his own fault, wasn't it? He never let anyone get close enough to him to know him, never let anyone see behind the mask that he always kept firmly in place in his dealings with others. 

He'd never been good at making friends; he had always held himself aloof from people because he had known what their response would be to his empathy.

But Hannibal was completely different. Hannibal could be friends with anyone; he had the ability to draw people to him, to take an interest in them that made them feel comfortable.

Will knew that he would never be like that.

In some ways, he almost envied his fiancé that ability. He sighed softly, pushing those thoughts away. He wasn't going to dwell on that right now.

Hannibal glanced at him, a slight furrow between his brows. "I don't know, love," he answered, looking thoughtful. "Is the guest list getting a bit unmanageable?"

Will nodded, wishing that he didn't sound so lost and confused. "I'm not really sure that I'm up to having all these people I don't even know at our wedding," he said, wishing that he sounded more apologetic and less resentful. "I kind of wanted this to be small and intimate."

"But, Will, so many people know me," Hannibal protested, his frown deepening. "And I would like to have everyone who I know share in my joy at marrying the man I love."

Will blinked back the sudden onrush of tears that came to his eyes at Hannibal's words. How was it that this man always knew exactly the right thing to say?

"I just ...." His voice trailed off into a sigh as he slumped back into his chair. "I don't want you to feel like you're marrying somebody who doesn't have any friends. Somebody who's .... inadequate in the social field. But, Hannibal, you _are_. I'm not like you. I can't charm people and make them like me."

"Will." Hannibal got up from his own chair and came to where Will was sitting on the couch, sitting down and taking his fiancé's hands in his own. "You don't need to charm people."

When Will didn't answer, he went on. " _I_ love you, and I want to marry you. That is really what matters, isn't it? If you feel that the guest list is too large, I will trim it down."

Will brightened a little at his words.

"You would do that for me?" he asked softly, not taking his gaze from Hannibal's face. "You would do that, just to make sure that I'm comfortable?"

"Will, of course I would," Hannibal told him, sounding a little reproachful. "It isn't just _my_ wedding, you know. It's _our_ wedding. And I want it to be perfect for you."

"It'll be perfect because I'm marrying the man I love," Will said softly, unable to tear his gaze away from Hannibal's face. He was sure that he had never loved anyone more than he loved Hannibal at this moment. He could feel his emotions surging within him, wanting to break free.

"I should have realised that having so many guests might make you feel uncomfortable, my love," Hannibal told him, squeezing Will's hands gently. "I'll pare the list down a bit."

"Thanks," Will said, his voice very soft. "But not too much. After all, like you said, this is _our_ wedding. I want it to be perfect for you, too."

Hannibal nodded, smiling as he leaned forward to brush a kiss across Will's lips.

"It will be," he murmured. "Because you will be there at the altar beside me, and I will be dedicating the rest of my life to you and to what we share. That, for me, will be perfection incarnate."

Oh yes, this man always knew just how to find the right thing to say, Will thought as they both got to their feet, the kiss they shared deepening, losing themselves in each other's arms.


	7. One Simple Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's amazing what one kiss can do.

Will was looking so tired and worn out lately.

Hannibal frowned at the thought, not liking the images it brought to his mind. He didn't want to see his fiancé feeling so tired and stressed.

Of course, it was probably inevitable, with all of the strain over the wedding plans. Even though the event was still a few months away, Will was already worrying over it far too much. Hannibal felt that the younger man was trying to take too much responsibility on himself.

He had told Will over and over again to let professionals handle most of the work, but Will wanted their wedding to have more of a personal touch.

He couldn't blame his fiancé for that.

He liked the idea of a personal touch himself, but still, he wasn't going to let Will run himself into the ground with trying to do his job and plan their wedding at the same time.

Hannibal watched silently as Will ran a hand through his hair, looking distracted and frustrated. A slow smile spread over his face as he thought; he was almost certain that he knew a way to take Will's mind off the wedding planning, and to put a bloom back into his pale cheeks.

Getting up from his chair, he went to stand behind Will, placing his hands on the younger man's shoulders and starting to knead the knotted muscles there.

Will leaned back in the chair, looking up at him with a smile. When he did so, Hannibal bent to kiss him, his lips barely touching Will's at first.

But within moments, the kiss grew harder, deeper. It became less of a simple kiss, and more of a caress. Their lips touched and clung, neither of them wanting the kiss to end, both of them trying to prolong the intimate contact for as long as they possibly could before breaking away.

When they finally came up for air, Will's blue eyes were wide, and there was indeed a flush in his cheeks. _Mission accomplished_ , Hannibal thought with some satisfaction.

It was amazing what one simple kiss could do.

Though that kiss had been anything but simple, he told himself with an inward smile. It had been a precursor to more, to all that they would do later tonight.

Will got to his feet, turning to Hannibal and sliding his arms around his lover's waist. "I think I've had enough of trying to put together wedding plans for tonight," he said softly, nuzzling the other man's cheek with his own. "What do you say we go upstairs and get ready for bed?"

"That sounds like a wonderful idea to me," Hannibal told him, his voice soft and husky. Taking Will's hand, he led the way to the stairs, turning off the lights as they went.

Oh yes, that one simple kiss would lead to much more before the night was over.


	8. Love on Their Side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As long as they have love on their side, Will is sure that a happy future with Hannibal is assured.

Will propped his chin in his hand, letting his thoughts wander.

He knew that he shouldn't spend so much of his time daydreaming, but he couldn't help it. He couldn't stop thinking about what his future with Hannibal was going to be like.

It was still so hard for him to believe that he was actually going to marry the man he loved, that they were going to spend the rest of their lives together.

It seemed like an impossible dream, but it wasn't. That dream was coming true. They worked on the wedding plans a little more every day; he had tried to tackle it all at once, but it had been too big of a job, and too unnerving for him to simply jump in and expect to take care of it all.

Hannibal had told him that they didn't need to have everything decided in one fell swoop, and had advised that they take things slowly, and work at their own pace.

Of course, his fiancé had been right, Will told himself. It was one of his failings, trying to do too much at once and then letting himself feel overwhelmed.

Hannibal had taught him to back off, to take things one step at a time.

That was something he'd have to work on, but he would eventually get the hang of it. He had always had a tendency to jump right in, not looking before he leaped.

Will smiled, unable to keep the happiness out of his expression. He'd taken one of those leaps by falling in love with Hannibal -- and he definitely had no regrets about that!

They were going to have a glorious future together, he told himself, his smile widening as he slipped into a daydream about what their lives held in store for them both. He would keep on working for the FBI, of course, and Hannibal would make his psychiatry practice even more successful.

He would have to learn to be more social -- that would be unavoidable.

Will made a face at that thought; socializing was one of the thing that he didn't think he would enjoy about the rosy little dreams he had of their future as a married couple.

But it was something that Hannibal wanted him to do, and he wouldn't let his fiancé down. He would try to be more social, and he would even try to enjoy it.

That would be much more easily said than done, but he'd do his best.

Their life as a married couple was going to be wonderful. Their future was assured; he had no doubt of that. He didn't even want to think that there was anything capable of creating a fissure in their relationship; he didn't believe that there was. No, nothing could change his love for Hannibal.

Would Hannibal ever stop loving _him_? The thought ripped through Will with the intensity of a heart palpitation; for a moment, a bare second, it seared him to his soul.

Then he was pushing the thought away, refusing to even countenance it. No, Hannibal wouldn't tire of him. Hannibal loved him. He wasn't a fickle man.

His feelings wouldn't change, any more than Will's would.

What they shared was going to last forever, far into the future. The two of them would have a beautiful life; they would only become closer with the passing of time.

He believed that, Will told himself firmly. He had always believed that, even before Hannibal had proposed. He'd known that when he had first given himself to his lover.

His feelings weren't going to change, or fade away. He couldn't even begin to envision a time when he wouldn't love Hannibal; he was bound to this man not only by his feelings, but by some symbiotic ties that drew him inexorably towards this man, ties that could never be broken.

He and Hannibal _belonged_ together. He had felt that from the first, before they'd ever begun a relationship. He had simply _known_ that this man was his future.

Hannibal was the only future he wanted. He could never go back to the sterile, lonely life that he'd led before they had become lovers, before the future had opened up to him.

There was no reason to look back. And he never would.

He had left that lonely life, the empty man that he'd been, far behind him the first time that Hannibal had kissed him. He had let love flower in his heart, and he had nurtured that love.

He wouldn't give it up. Not now, and not ever. That love meant more to him than anything else ever could; it was his salvation. He wouldn't even think about the possibility of losing it. If they had problems in the future, they would work them out. Together. As a couple.

That thought made Will smile, this time more ironically than beatifically. If any problems manifested, he would be married to a psychiatrist who could help solve them.

But they wouldn't have problems. He was sure they wouldn't. 

No, he and Hannibal would have a wonderful future ahead of them. A future that was assured, one that would only hold happiness, and be filled with love.

Will pushed his chair back from his desk, taking a deep breath. He'd been sitting here for too long thinking about the future, and it was nearly time for his next class to start arriving. There was absolutely no reason for him to be sitting here daydreaming. It was time to get back to work.

And there was no reason for any disturbing thoughts to cloud his dreams of the future, he told himself. That future was bright, and it would only keep getting better. 

After all, he and Hannibal had love on their side. 

Love would be enough to conquer any problems that might come their way.

With that thought in his mind, he turned to greet the first students arriving for class.


	9. No Doubts At All

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will is determined not to let anyone else's doubts about his upcoming marriage to Hannibal influence his own thoughts and feelings.

"Do you have any doubts at all about this, Will?"

"Why would you ask me that?" Will looked at Jack quizzically, his brow furrowing into a perplexed frown. "Of course I don't have any doubts, Jack. Why would I?"

Jack only shook his head, sighing softly. "I don't know, Will. Forget that I asked. I just can't help wondering if you're sure that you're doing the right thing."

"You think that Hannibal talked me into getting married, that I don't really want to," Will stated, his voice flat. "That's not true, Jack. I'm not some kind of puppet who can only do what Hannibal tells me to, you know. I'm my own person, and I make my own decisions."

"I know that," Jack said, shaking his head again. "I didn't mean to imply that you weren't. I just know that when it comes to Hannibal, you're not always objective."

"Is anybody objective when it comes to the person they're in love with?" Will asked, trying to smile. "Don't worry, Jack. I'm doing exactly what I want to do. I have no doubts."

Jack smiled, nodding this time. "All right, Will. I believe you."

As his boss left his office, Will leaned back in chair, closing his eyes and sighing softly. Jack wasn't the only person who had asked him if he had any doubts about marrying Hannibal.

Everybody seemed to think that he _should_ have doubts about getting married. Once in a while, even he himself wondered if he was doing the right thing.

Of course he was, Will told himself firmly. He was marrying the man he loved, the man he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. There were absolutely no doubts in his mind that he was doing what would make him happy. And he was sure that Hannibal felt the same.

Though sometimes, he worried about their future.

What if Hannibal tired of him? What if, at some point, Hannibal realized that he could have done so much better than Will, that he needed a more urbane, sophisticated partner?

That was the biggest doubt in his mind -- that he'd be able to measure up to what Hannibal wanted and needed. There were times when he thought that he would fail miserably.

What if he did? What if Hannibal eventually walked away from him?

Will could feel panic rising within him at the very thought of that happening. It wouldn't, he told himself, trying to tamp down on that panic, on the doubts that were suddenly crowding into his mind. Hannibal wasn't the kind of man who would walk away from a commitment.

Besides, Hannibal wouldn't have proposed to him and intend to marry him if he thought that they wouldn't work out, would he? His fiancé was nothing if not practical.

No, there was no way that Hannibal would be going into what was supposed to be a lifetime commitment if he didn't think that they were going to stay together.

He had to push these doubts away. He didn't need them.

Besides, they weren't worthy of Hannibal, Will told himself, slamming a mental door on those doubts and turning his back on them. They were just nerves trying to manifest.

There was no reason for him to have any doubts. Hannibal loved him, and he loved Hannibal. They were going to get married, and they were going to be happy.

He had to focus on their future together, on the happiness that they would share. If he didn't, then he would let the doubts that other people seemed to have about their relationship seep into his consciousness, and he would start to worry about problems that weren't there.

He and Hannibal could talk out any problems they might have, Will assured himself. They'd already managed to do that more than once, so they could do it in the future.

They would have a marriage that lasted. They would still be together when they were old and grey -- and they'd still be just as much in love as they were now.

That, he definitely had no doubts about.

His feelings for Hannibal wouldn't change. They couldn't. He loved his fiancé far too much for that. Hannibal was his life, his world, the center of his universe.

Hannibal had become the light of his life. Maybe he'd even been that light before they had gotten engaged; maybe he'd always been the lone star in Will's heaven that shone the brightest. 

Well, maybe Hannibal wasn't _everything_ in his life, he corrected himself. He had his teaching, and he had his work with the FBI. Though he wasn't sure if he would keep that up once he was married. It was too jarring, much too unsettling for that to still be a part of his life.

He would have to talk to Hannibal about it, see what he thought. But Will was fairly sure that when he was happily married, he would no longer have anything to offer Jack.

It would feel so good not have to deal with crimes scenes, dead bodies, and going into the minds of killers any more. He wanted that part of his life to be over, part of the past. He wanted to leave it behind. 

That disturbing influence would be completely gone, and he wouldn't miss it.

No, he had no doubts at all about his upcoming marriage, he thought with a smile. He knew that he was doing what was right for him, and what he wanted to do.

If anyone else had doubts, then they could keep them to themselves. He had come too far to turn back now, and his heart kept leading him forward to his destiny -- and his happiness.


	10. Just What He Wants

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes Will thinks it would be easier to simply elope than to deal with planning a big wedding.

Will sat back with a sigh, looking at the wedding invitations.

"Sometimes I wish that we could just run off and get married without all the fuss," he muttered, closing his eyes and slumping back in his chair.

He didn't really mean that; he was just frustrated by all of the work that had to be done to plan a wedding. He was tired after a long day, and he didn't want to address invitations.

Of course, Hannibal was doing an equal amount of work to prepare for the big day, perhaps even more than he himself was doing. But after the kind of day he'd just had, when he had spent more time in the morgue than he liked doing, Will just wanted to come home and relax.

He couldn't relax when he had a table full of wedding invitations in front of him waiting to be addressed. And besides that, he hated the way his handwriting looked.

Hannibal's writing was so much neater, he told himself ruefully as he bent over one more envelope, copying out the address of a couple he wasn't even sure that he knew.

But this was only fair. He had to do his share, pull his weight.

If he wasn't willing to do that before they were married, what would Hannibal think? He might not want to marry a man who didn't pitch in and help with all the wedding plans.

His fiancé raised his head, frowning as he looked at Will. "Isn't this what you want, Will?" he asked, his voice very soft. "Or would you prefer a smaller wedding?"

For one wild moment, Will wanted to stay that they should elope, or simply go to a justice of the peace and get married there. It would save them so much trouble, so much fuss, and it would save him a lot of tension. But no, that wasn't really what he wanted. Not at all.

He wanted this big wedding, in spite of his nervousness about it.

He wanted to walk down the aisle hand in hand with Hannibal, to stand in front of an altar with everyone they knew looking on, and say his vows to this man.

He wanted to marry Hannibal in sight of everyone they knew, or at least everyone who mattered to both of them. He wanted to show the world just how he felt.

It didn't matter that he was more than little nervous about the wedding.

That was all it was, Will assured himself. It was just pre-wedding jitters, combined with the fact that he'd been working a lot lately, and that he'd had to be in the field more than he wanted to be. It was all starting to get to him; he needed to take a few steps back and try to relax.

So he shook his head and smiled, reaching over to lay a hand on top of Hannibal's in a reassuring gesture, his voice sincere when he spoke.

"I want this wedding," he said softly, squeezing Hannibal's fingers gently. "I want us to get married in a church, with our friends looking on. I'm just tired and grumpy tonight, that's all."

Hannibal nodded, raising Will's hand to his lips and kissing his fingertips.

"I think you've been working far too hard lately, my sweet," he murmured, shaking his head. "You need to slow down and relax more, Will. You're working yourself into the ground."

Will couldn't say anything to that; he knew that Hannibal was right. He _was_ working too much -- and he was letting nervousness and tension take him over.

That was no way to go into a marriage. It was no way to spend the weeks leading up to their wedding, either. He had to slow down, to consciously let himself relax and enjoy the things that they did together -- even mundane things like addressing wedding invitations.

"This is exactly the way I want our wedding to be," he said softly, releasing a pent-up breath. "I want to marry you in front of everybody. I want the whole world to see how happy we are together."

Hannibal smiled, the look in his eyes making Will's heart skip a beat. He knew that look; it was one that promised a night of passion that he wouldn't soon forget.

It was a look that he knew he'd never be able to resist.

"That is what I want, as well," Hannibal told him, his voice very soft. "I want everyone to see that we have chosen each other, Will, and that we belong together."

Will's throat tightened as he nodded. He couldn't have put it any better himself; that was exactly how he felt, just the emotion that he wanted to express.

Hannibal was so much better at words than he was. His fiancé knew just how to articulate what he was feeling -- almost before he knew exactly what his own emotions were. It was uncanny how well this man knew him, even though he sometimes wondered if he knew Hannibal even half as well.

But that didn't really matter, he told himself firmly. That was what being married was all about; you learned more about the person you loved and had chosen to spend your life with.

Yes, this was just what he wanted. He wanted to stand there in a church, in front of the world, and show everyone how much he loved Hannibal and wanted to be his husband.

He'd never wanted anything so much in his entire life.

Will smiled at his lover, hoping that the expression on his face said everything that he couldn't manage to put into words. Hannibal had a way of reading those expressions very accurately.

Long after they had relinquished their hold on each other's hands to go back to addressing the wedding invitations, Will could still feel the tingle of his lover's touch.


	11. Worth Any Sacrifice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will is like the sun shining into the darkness of Hannibal's life.

Was he being entirely fair to Will?

Hannibal sighed softly, resting his head in his hands. For some reason, he was beset with doubts today, wondering if he was doing the right thing.

Will loved him; he had no doubt of that. He wouldn't have said yes to the proposal if he didn't. And he loved Will -- more than he had thought himself capable of loving another human being. In fact, before he had met Will, he would have said that he was completely incapable of love.

Yet here he was, planning his wedding to Will, looking forward to the time when they would be a married couple, and giving up his lifestyle to settle down.

Because of course, he couldn't keep secrets from his husband.

Oh, he _could_ , but it would be difficult. Will wasn't the kind of person who would simply turn away from questions when his curiosity was aroused.

It would simply be far too hard to keep his secret life hidden once he and Will were married, so he had to give it up. He had no choice in the matter -- and really, it wouldn't be all that hard to do. He was more than willing to make such a sacrifice to have Will as his mate.

Will would never understand why he did what he did. Knowing about Hannibal's secret life would destroy Will's love, and he couldn't bear for that to happen.

He couldn't stand the thought of the man he loved recoiling from him, turning against him. Which meant that he had to change, and that was something he _could_ do.

His life had been filled with darkness before he had met Will, and he had allowed himself to sink into that darkness. He had even welcomed it, and thought that he would never have a need for anything else. He hadn't counted on falling in love, hadn't thought that he would meet anyone like Will.

But now that he had, he wanted that bright sunshine to keep pouring into his world. He wanted to bask in that light, to have it wrapped around him forever.

He couldn't bear to lose Will. So he would change.

That wouldn't be easy, and Hannibal knew it. But it would be worth the effort to keep the sun that was Will shining in his sky. For that, he would do anything.

Nothing meant as much to him as keeping Will in his life. And to do that, he would have to make sacrifices. Some of them would be easy, like letting Will's dogs live in his house. He was already getting used to them. Others would be harder, much harder. But he would make those sacrifices.

For the reward would be much greater than the sum of any sacrifices he could make. He would have Will's light pouring over him for the rest of his life.

To ensure that light stayed in his life, nothing was impossible.


	12. Believing in Happiness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will still finds it hard to believe that he's actually going to marry the man he loves.

It was still hard for him to believe that he was getting married.

Will sat at his desk, looking at the engagement ring on his finger. He turned his hand from side to side, smiling as the overhead light made the diamond flash.

In all of his wildest dreams, he'd never thought that he would be a married man. He'd spent his whole life thinking that a relationship would never work for him.

But Hannibal understood him in a way that no one else ever had, or had ever tried to. Hannibal accepted him just as he was, with all of his faults and foibles. Will doubted that anyone else would have ever been able to do that; no other person would have taken him at face value.

He'd been lucky to find Hannibal; he didn't doubt that for a moment. Sometimes it was even hard for him to believe that his fiancé existed.

There were times when Hannibal seemed _too_ perfect, when the thought of the life together that stretched ahead of them didn't seem as though it could be possible.

But it was, he reminded himself. It was going to happen.

He shouldn't be questioning his good luck. That was foolish. Questioning it would only make him worry, and that wasn't what he needed to do at this stage.

He had enough worries just trying to help Hannibal plan the wedding. They hadn't disagreed on anything yet, which was good, but there were still a lot of headaches.

No wonder people hired wedding planners when they got married, Will thought with a grimace. They avoided all of this brouhaha, all of this stress and worry, and just told someone else what they wanted. Then the other person got to deal with all of the details.

But they didn't want to do that. They wanted their wedding to be hands-on, something that they had arranged from the ground up, something they'd done themselves.

And Hannibal was good at handling the details. He had to admit that.

He should really just sit back and leave the driving to the other man, Will told himself, smiling again. Hannibal was much better at arranging events than he was.

Of course, his lover always took his wishes into account. They had spent a lot of time discussing what they wanted the wedding and the the reception to be like.

Miraculously, they hadn't had big disagreements about anything.

That was because he and Hannibal were on the same wavelength, Will thought to himself. They might not agree on everything, but they had similar tastes.

He had never believed that he would find someone like Hannibal, someone who was so much like him. Yet there were things about them that were also very different, fundamental differences that he couldn't deny. Though he didn't think that was a bad thing at all.

If they were too much alike, then they would probably get on each other's nerves too much, he mused. They wouldn't have been able to stand each other for very long.

As it was, they had enough similarities to be comfortable with each other, and enough differences so that they didn't both fall into the same bad habits.

And they would find out more about each other as time went on.

They had a lifetime to discover each other's little quirks, Will told himself with a smile. They could take their time; there was no hurry. They had forever.

Not so long ago, he wouldn't have thought in that way. But becoming engaged to the man he loved had given him an entirely new outlook on life.

From now on, he didn't have to live for his work, and he didn't have to look on the dark side of life. He could live in the sunlight now; he didn't have to feel that he was always walking under a shadow, that his life span was limited because of his job, and his singular abilities.

He could believe in a life filled with love and happiness. Yes, there would still be a dark side to dealing with his work, but he could cope with that.

Having Hannibal in his life as his husband was going to change so many things. Just being engaged to him had already started to make changes in the way he looked at everything.

His life was good, and it was only going to get better.

He truly believed that, Will realized, feeling a little started at the thought. He hadn't been this optimistic about his life for a long time, if ever.

He believed that the two of them could have a good life together, a happy life. A life that would work for both of them, despite the more gruesome aspects of his job. Will was sure that Hannibal believed it, too; if he didn't, then his lover would never have proposed to him.

They were going to have a wonderful life, he told himself, looking down at the diamond ring on his finger again. He had finally found the happiness he'd always wanted.

He _did_ believe that. With all of his heart and soul.

It was a belief that he would hold on to, a belief that he knew would see him through a lot of dark days that he spent at work, at crime scenes, wondering why he was there.

He would have that happiness to go home to at night, a happiness that would wash all of the darkness away. The kind of happiness that he'd never thought would be his.

Well, now it _was_ his. And he would never let it go. 

Will smiled, feeling contentment and joy seep through him.

All he had to do was believe that he could be happy, and he was.

Who would have guessed that it could be that easy?


	13. An Unattainable Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannibal worries that he won't be able to make the sacrifices that will be required to move forward into a happy marriage with Will.

Hannibal lay beside Will, staring up at the ceiling.

Being married to Will was going to make him the happiest man in the world. But there were some things that he couldn't erase from his thoughts.

It wasn't going to be easy to give up his, well, unorthodox pursuits. He would have to do that; he knew that Will would never condone those practices.

He could no longer kill and eat people. He had already stopped doing so; he was finding it the hardest thing he'd ever forced himself to do. There were nights when all he wanted to do was to go out and engage in his own particular brand of hunting; it was hard to turn his back on it.

But if he didn't, then he knew that he would lose Will, and that, for him, would be a fate worse than death. He couldn't live without the man he loved by his side.

If Will knew about his secret life, all that they shared would be gone. Will would arrest him, as much as it would hurt them both for him to do so.

Will would feel that it was his duty, that he had no choice.

And he would probably be right, Hannibal thought with a soft sigh. Will _had_ taken a vow when he had become a Federal agent. He had to do what he thought was right.

He could hardly ask Will to turn his back on that vow. He had no right to expect that of his lover. No matter how much Will loved him, it wasn't fair to ask him to make that choice, and Hannibal would never do it. He loved Will too much to put him through that kind of agony.

So he would give up what he was, and he would turn his back on something that had been a part of him since he was a teenager. But it wouldn't be easy.

But he had to, he told himself firmly. If he didn't, then Will would slip away from him, and they would never be together. That would be no life for either of them.

Would Will still love him if he found out? Hannibal really didn't want to know the answer to that question. He didn't want to lose Will's love.

Just the thought of seeing disgust on the beautiful face of the man he loved was enough to twist his heart in his chest until it ached, and he almost wanted to cry.

He couldn't bear to think of losing Will's love, of having the other man turn his back and walk away. So he would do his best to give up a part of himself -- even though his more rational mind told him that doing so was an unattainable dream that he would never be able to achieve.

No, he wouldn't think like that, Hannibal told himself, his inner voice strong and firm. He could do anything that he set his mind to, no matter how difficult it might be.

He _could_ give this up. For Will. For their future.

So it would be difficult. He expected that. But he was used to doing difficult things, even things that most people would say were impossible.

He could do this. He _had_ to do it. If he didn't, then he ran the risk of losing all that was most important to him, and he wasn't going to take that risk.

What if it _was_ an unattainable dream? What if he tried his best, but couldn't stop his killing? What if Will found out what he was doing and turned his back on him, and he lost the love of his life because of nothing more than his own lack of self-control?

Hannibal didn't want to think of all these things, but he knew that any of them was capable of happening. The thought hovered like a black cloud in the back of his mind.

Resolutely, he pushed those thoughts away. He didn't need to wrestle with them right now; he could take things one day at a time, wean himself away from his .... pursuits.

That was really the only choice he had, wasn't it?

The alternative was losing Will, and that couldn't happen. It would break his heart. It would kill him. It would leave him a broken man, with nothing to hold on to.

Losing Will would completely unman him. He couldn't imagine spending the rest of his life without the man he loved, whether that life was spent behind bars or not.

Sighing again, Hannibal turned over onto his side to look at Will slumbering peacefully beside him. He loved this man; he would do anything for Will, including giving up the life that he'd known for so many years. He was willing to put all of that behind him to keep Will in his life.

Wasn't that what love was all about? he asked himself as he reached out to run gentle fingers through Will's tousled curls. Being willing to make sacrifices for those you loved?

Will was worth any sacrifice he had to make. Being with Will was worth doing anything he had to do; his life wouldn't be complete without this man by his side.

They would have their life together -- a long and happy one.

Whatever he had to give up in order to keep Will, it would be a worthy sacrifice. Love had changed his life, and had opened his heart in ways he'd never thought possible.

Giving up his former life wasn't an unattainable goal. He would work towards it -- and by the time he and Will were married, that part of his life would be behind him for good.

With that thought in his mind, Hannibal closed his eyes and relaxed.

His dreams were jumbled images of the past mixed with what he hoped his future would be.


	14. Enclosed By Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will awakens from a terrifying dream that seems all too real.

Will sat up in bed, his blue eyes wide.

The dream he'd just awakened from had been one of the most frightening things he'd ever experienced.

He had seen his own death.

He pressed a hand to his chest, gulping in air. The dream was still with him, so real, so vivid, that for a moment, he wondered if he was still caught up in it.

But no, he was lying here in bed beside Hannibal, who fortunately hadn't been awakened by the cry that he had uttered when he'd awakened. He glanced over at his fiancé, relieved that Hannibal was still sleeping, a peaceful expression on his face.

Why had he been plagued by such a frightening dream? There was no reason for that kind of thing to happen, not now when he was so happy.

That dream had been so unsettling, so terrifying.

He had been outside in a storm, and unable to find Hannibal anywhere. Rain had been pouring down, soaking him, disorienting his senses.

Had he been in the woods surrounding his house? Nothing was familiar -- no landmarks, nothing that he could say he'd ever seen before. He'd been lost, unable to find his way out of those woods, and the vegetation had seemed to be closing in around him.

Then he'd stumbled into a clearing -- and what he'd seen there had made his blood run cold. Maybe he had screamed in the dream; he didn't really remember.

The man with the stag's head had been there, a bloody knife clutched in his hands. And he had raised that knife and taken a step towards Will.

Dark clouds had scudded across the sky overhead, blocking out the moonlight. And Will had closed his eyes, giving in to whatever his fate might be, giving up. He hadn't tried to run; he had simply stood there and waited for that knife to descend, to cut his life short.

He'd heard a boom of thunder -- or was it his own heart beating out its last rhythm? -- and then he had felt a searing pain through his body.

That was when he had awakened, gasping for breath.

It was almost as though he could still see those dark clouds overhead, obscuring everything around them, taking away all the light from the world.

Will expelled a shaky breath, lying down beside Hannibal again and pulling the covers up to his shoulders. He wasn't out in the woods alone, being confronted by some frightening apparition. He was here, safe in bed with the man he loved. Nothing was going to harm him.

There was no reason to be afraid. No reason not to be able to sleep, when he was safe with Hannibal. There was nothing here to be wary of.

But still, it was a long time before he managed to fall asleep again. 

And outside, dark clouds _did_ obscure the light of the moon. 

The entire world seemed to be enclosed by darkness.


	15. No Dream Can Compare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waking up next to Hannibal makes Will's terrifying dream dissolve as though it had never existed.

Will didn't want to open his eyes. 

There really wasn't any need to, was there? After all, this was the weekend -- he didn't have to teach any classes, and Hannibal had no patients.

They could just stay in bed today and be together -- and he could hopefully forget about the frightening dream that had taken over his mind last night. The echoes of that dream were still with him, though he'd managed to go back to sleep and get some rest.

But he was awake now, and he was fairly sure that Hannibal was, as well. He was sure that he could feel his lover watching him, even though his eyes were closed.

He could just sense that Hannibal was looking at him.

Did his lover know that a dream had shocked him into wakefulness last night? Was Hannibal aware of what had happened? Did he want to talk about it?

Will wasn't sure that he was ready to discuss the dream. Other than being frightened and disturbed by what he had seen in the realm of sleep, he didn't know what it meant -- and even though Hannibal might have some ideas, he wasn't sure that he wanted to hear them.

He just wanted to forget about the dream, wanted it to go away. He wanted to banish it into the mists of memory and never have it return to haunt him.

But something told him that wasn't possible. If he did manage to hide that dream away from his consciousness, he was sure that it _would_ eventually return.

He finally opened his eyes, and when he did, Hannibal's gaze met his. The other man smiled down at him, and Will could feel the dream melt away as though it had never occurred. All he could think of was the love he saw in those dark eyes, a love that was all for him.

The dream vanished, the memory of it disappearing from his mind. All he could think about was the love he felt for this man, a love that he knew would never fade.

What did a dream matter, when he was loved like this?

Hannibal reached for him, those strong arms sliding around his waist. Will responded by wrapping his own arms around Hannibal's neck, drawing him closer.

How could he think about a frightening dream when he was in the arms of his fiancé? Hannibal made it all go away, made it seem as though the only thing of any importance in the world was the two of them. No dream, no matter how terrifying, could compare with this.

Will closed his eyes as Hannibal's mouth came down on his and those hands, so strong and assured, began to move over his body.

 _This_ was real. And no dream could compare to it.


	16. The Stars We Are

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannibal is the only star that will ever burn brightly in Will's sky.

Will gazed up a stars, a smile curving his lips.

He felt calm and relaxed tonight. They'd gotten the wedding invitations all sent out, finally, and he wasn't nearly as stressed as he had been.

Of course, there was still a lot for them to do -- they had to pick out the music, the flowers, get their tuxes fitted, and what seemed like a million other things before their wedding day was here. But sending out the invitations was a huge burden out of the way.

Now, he felt that they owed themselves a bit of reprieve from all the work of finalizing the wedding plans. He laughed softly, shaking his head.

Finalizing? Who was he kidding?

It would be a long time before everything was finalized. They'd set the date for August, before Will's classes had started, so they could have a two-week honeymoon.

That was really all they'd done so far, other than sending out the invitations, and making sure that the church where they planned to get married, as well as the reception hall, was booked for the day. But other than that, they hadn't even made a dent.

There was still so much to do, so many plans to put into motion. They would have to talk a lot before those plans were finalized and everything was on its way.

But they would get there. He knew it. And before long, the eve of their wedding would be upon them -- and then they would be a married couple.

Hannibal came to stand behind him, his arms moving around Will's waist, his chin resting on the younger man's shoulder. "The stars are beautiful tonight," he said, his voice very soft in Will's ear. "I was just looking at them from the kitchen and realised where you would be."

Will turned his head to smile at the man he loved; he should have known that Hannibal had guessed he'd be out here on the back porch watching the night sky.

"I was just thinking about our wedding plans," he murmured. "So many things to do." A sudden thought blazed through his mind, making him catch his breath.

What if they just ran off, eloped, and came back married?

For a moment, just a few seconds, the idea appealed to him.

He liked the idea of being able to run off with Hannibal, just forgetting the idea of having a big wedding and dealing with all of this interminable planning.

Then the idea dissipated, and he knew that he couldn't do that to his lover. Hannibal was enjoying the wedding planning; he was in his element.

He couldn't take that joy away from his partner. He loved seeing the light in Hannibal's eyes when he talked about the reception, or how beautiful the church would look when the ceremony was conducted, or how he couldn't wait to see Will standing at the altar beside him.

And really, he couldn't wait to see those things, either. He couldn't bring himself to suggest that they elope, to cheat them both out of a beautiful wedding day.

He wanted to marry Hannibal in front of all the people they knew, to shout to the rooftops that he loved this man and wanted to become his in front of the world.

Marrying Hannibal was all that he'd ever wanted from the moment he'd met this man. He knew that the moment he looked into those dark eyes and said "I do," he would be transported to the stars; he would be the happiest man in the universe.

He couldn't cheat himself out of that. He wanted to stand in that beautiful church, with candles blazing all around them, and pledge himself to Hannibal.

The other man was gazing up at the stars again, a soft smile on his lips. 

"We are there with the stars, Will," Hannibal said, so softly that Will could barely hear him. "They are a part of us. They exist within our hearts and souls."

Will could feel his heart filling with love -- and desire. "How is it that you always know the right thing to say?" he asked his fiancé smiling at the thought. "You always have the perfect words. The most romantic words. I can't even begin to compete with that."

Hannibal looked at him with love in those eyes, the eyes that Will loved to gaze into. The eyes that he knew would regard with love for all of their lives.

He could lose himself in those eyes, drown in them.

"This isn't a competition," Hannibal murmured. "I know that you love me, Will. You do not always have to express it in words. I can feel it in your gaze. Your touch."

His heart was melting in his chest; he was sure that if Hannibal wasn't holding on to him, he would become a puddle on the ground at his lover's feet.

"The stars we are reside in our hearts, Will," Hannibal continued, his voice very low and soft. "I never need to be told that you love me. I can simply _feel_ it. Your touch tells me so. Your eyes when you look at me. Your smile. The tone of your voice. I just _know_."

Will nodded, blinking back tears. It was the same way that he himself knew of Hannibal's feelings for him. He didn't need to hear the words aloud.

He knew what his lover felt for him. He could hear it, feel it, _sense_ it. And knowing that Hannibal loved him lifted him to the stars.

When they made love, he was amongst the stars.

Will let himself relax into Hannibal's embrace, looking up at the stars above them again. Somehow, he felt that he was a part of those stars, basking in their glow.

Those stars brought him a happiness and a contentment, just to be able to stand here wrapped in Hannibal's arms and look at them. "We are the stars," he said softly, not taking his gaze from the indigo of the sky and the silver stars that glittered there. "We're a part of them."

"Yes, we are, my love," Hannibal whispered before his mouth came down on Will's. The kiss they shared was long and deep, full of promises for the future.

Hannibal was the only star that would ever be in his sky.


	17. This Is Forever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will has no doubt that his love for Hannibal is something that will last forever, and will only grow stronger with time.

He would be with Hannibal forever. For all of time.

Will smiled at the thought, leaning his chin on his hand and letting himself drift off into a beautiful daydream of their life together in the future.

He knew that they would have a wonderful life. He just couldn't imagine anything else for the two of them; surely they would have a happy relationship.

Of course, there would be the inevitable disagreements once in a while; he was realistic enough to know that those things happened to every couple, and he was sure that he and Hannibal would be no exception. They would butt heads here and there, no doubt of it.

But they would always be able to work things out between the two of them. Even though they were both very strong-willed men, they could compromise.

That was part of what love was all about, Will told himself firmly. Being able to work things out between the two of you, giving in when you had to.

He was willing to do that. He could bend without breaking.

He didn't doubt for a moment that their future would be a happy one. And he had even less doubt of the two of them being together for the rest of their lives.

How could they not be? he asked himself. When two people loved as fiercely and completely as they did, there couldn't be any hesitation about their future, or doubts over the fact that they belonged together. Even Jack admitted that he and Hannibal seemed perfectly happy.

So far, everything was working out perfectly. Hannibal even seemed to be getting used to having the dogs here in the house in Baltimore.

He might not always _like_ it, but he was coping.

There was so much that had changed in their relationship now that they were engaged. Will had to admit that there _were_ some things that he missed about his former life.

The future had never seemed so bright to him. He was with the person he loved, and wonder of wonders, he was loved in return.

That wasn't something that Will had ever expected to have for himself. Love had always seemed like a closed book to him; it was something that was meant for other people, never something that he could hope to have. He had always been on the outside looking in.

But Hannibal had changed all that. With one touch, one kiss, Hannibal had become the center of his world, the keeper of his heart, the love of his life.

And that wasn't going to change, Will told himself, his lips curving into another soft smile. This was forever. This kind of love didn't have an ending.

He would have never dared to dream of forever with anyone else -- though, of course, there had never _been_ anyone else in his life to have that sort of fantasy about. Well, no one serious. He had dated, a little, but nothing had ever been on a lifetime basis.

No one had ever engaged his heart and soul in that way. Will doubted that anyone else ever could have. He was too picky about who he wanted to be with.

Not only that, but he knew that he wasn't really stable enough for most people to want to be involved with. Though that didn't seem to matter to Hannibal.

Of course, his fiancé would be able to deal with that.

Hannibal was used to people who weren't the most stable individuals. And maybe, just maybe, that instability was one thing that had drawn them together.

Will hoped that was the case, though he had to wonder sometimes just what _had_ drawn Hannibal to him. He wanted to be loved for himself, for who he was, and not for what anyone else might want him to be, the vision that they had of him in their mind's eyes.

He wanted Hannibal to love him _because_ of his faults, because they were what made him the person he was, not _in spite of_ those disadvantages.

Somehow, he was sure that Hannibal _did_ love him for the right reasons.

As long as Hannibal loved him, nothing else really seemed to matter. He could wrap that love around him like a favorite blanket, and hold it close to his heart.

His own love for Hannibal would always burn this strongly; he knew that it would only grow over the years, the decades they would spend together, loving each other.

This was forever. This kind of love lasted, through the life they were living now, and any other that might come after it. Will had no doubts whatsoever that his soul was linked to Hannibal's, that they were meant to be one, that they would have found each other in any circumstance.

Hannibal was his love, his life. Hannibal was the man he had given himself to, heart, body and soul. The man who he would always love, with every fiber of his being.

He could never doubt that love, never forsake it. That love would last forever, until the end of time itself. There would be no end to it. That kind of love never died.

The thought made him smile again, unable to keep it back.

There was no reason for either of them to ever doubt their feelings for each other. And in just a few more weeks, they would get married, and show the world just how they felt.

They had forever to explore the feelings between them, and to let those feelings grow. Will was sure that they would become even stronger over the course of time.

They had all of their lives, and beyond. They had until the end of time.

They had until the stars fell from the heavens, until the sun ceased to shine.

And through it all, they would still be madly, passionately in love.

This was forever. And even forever with the man he loved wouldn't be long enough.


	18. All He Could Wish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If Will could have one wish, what would it be? Hannibal wants to know.

"If you could have one wish, Will, what would it be?"

Will smiled as he rested his head on Hannibal's shoulder; the two of them were lying in bed, watching the sun come up and the world outside their bedroom window brighten.

"I don't know," he said, yawning and covering his mouth with one hand. "I think now that we're engaged, I have everything I could possibly want."

Hannibal laughed softly, the fingers of one hand gently running through Will's dark, tousled curls. "I'm sure that if you try, you can think of something that you would wish for," he said, his tone slightly reproving. "Will, no one has _everything_ they want."

Maybe Hannibal was right, but Will wasn't so sure. All that he wanted was right here, next to him in bed, holding him in such a soft and loving embrace.

He loved feeling those strong arms around him, loved how Hannibal kissed him and touched him and made love to him. He loved everything about the two of them.

Yes, he had all that he wanted.

"I guess I would wish that the wedding could just happen without all of the planning that we're having to put into it," he finally said, laughing softly. "It's a lot to deal with."

"Yes, it is, but the final outcome will be well worth all of the trouble that we've taken to arrange our wedding in exactly the way we want it," Hannibal told him, his voice soft. "Though .... if you really don't want to deal with all of this, we could always elope."

For a moment, just a brief flash of a moment, Will considered his fiancé's words. They were appealing -- but only for a second.

No, he didn't want to elope. Not at all.

What he wanted was for the two of them to have an absolutely beautiful wedding, saying their vows to each other at the altar in front of everyone they cared about.

All of their friends and co-workers would be there to see the two of them joined as one. It would be a triumph for them, and it would be beautiful.

 _That_ was what he wanted, despite all the headaches of the planning stages.

What he wanted was what he had right now -- waking up in this bed, in Hannibal's arms, watching the sunrise together, feeling at one with the world.

He had never known this kind of love before, and he'd thought that he never would. There were times when it still amazed him to know that Hannibal -- who could probably have anyone he wanted -- had somehow fallen in love with _him_ , Will Graham, the outcast.

He had found love with the most wonderful man he'd ever known, a man who accepted him exactly as he was, in every way. He'd finally found happiness.

He couldn't wish for anything more than that.

"All of my wishes came true when you asked me to marry you," he said softly, rolling over onto his stomach and propping his chin on Hannibal's chest.

His lover smiled at him softly, raising a hand to stroke Will's hair back from his face. "And you are every wish that I have ever cherished, my love," he answered, his voice soft and loving.

Will's eyes filled with tears at those words. If he had ever entertained even a shadow of a doubt that Hannibal might change his mind about marrying him, that slight foreboding was gone in the blink of an eye, as though it had never existed.

This man loved him, thoroughly and completely. There was no way that Hannibal could say something like that, from the heart, and not mean every syllable.

And he loved Hannibal just as much, with everything that was in his heart, with all of the love and passion that was within his body and soul.

He returned the smile, blinking back tears of joy.

"I love you, do you know that?" he said softly, placing a hand on Hannibal's cheek. "I think I have since we first met, even though it took me a while to realize just how I felt."

"Yes, it did," Hannibal said with a laugh. "It took you long enough, Will. I wished every night from the first time we met that you were here with me at night, in my bed, in my arms. And I wished that your heart was mine -- as I knew that mine was undoubtedly yours."

Once again, Will was sure that he could feel his heart turning over in his chest. Yes, he loved this man -- and he was loved just as much in return.

There was no way that he could ever believe otherwise. 

"I couldn't wish for anything more than what I have right here and now," he said, his voice very soft. "My life is pretty much perfect, Hannibal. Thanks to you."

"And you, my love, have made my life a beautiful place to be," Hannibal told him, his voice equally soft and loving. "I never thought that I could feel this way. But I do."

Will nodded, swallowing hard. He had thought the same thing, sure that he would never find anyone who could accept for exactly who he was, convinced that he would always be on the outside looking in. That was really all that he'd ever wished for. Love and acceptance.

Well, now he had them -- and he didn't intend to ever let them go. He was going to be with Hannibal forever, in his arms and in his heart.

Without another word, he lifted his face to Hannibal's, knowing that in just a moment, their lips would meet in a heated, passionate kiss.

When he felt those lips on his, any coherent thoughts simply melted away. 

This was all that he could ever have wished for.

Now that he had this love, he would never want for anything else.


	19. A Man Without Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannibal vows to do his utmost to be the man Will deserves.

He hated keeping secrets from Will.

So far, he was doing well, Hannibal mused, leaning back in his chair and resting his hands on the desk in front of him. Will had no idea about his secret life.

He couldn't keep living that life, of course. He knew that. It would have been possible while he was only dating Will, but it was no longer an option.

Will was living here now. And within a few months, they would be married. It was impossible for him to sneak out at night, and he found that he no longer wanted to. Though there were times when the need to kill felt like an itch gathering under his skin.

He would have to keep ignoring that need. The only way that he could satisfy it would be to drug Will before he left the house at night, and he refused to do that.

If he did that, then he would be committing a crime against the man he loved, and that was something he would never allow himself to do.

He loved Will far too much for that.

Hannibal knew that he would never harm the man he loved. He wasn't worried about that. He would protect Will with his life -- even from himself.

He would simply have to force himself to control that darker side of his nature -- no matter how hard it might prove to be. He couldn't indulge that darkness any longer.

He didn't doubt that it would be hard to break his old habits; there had already been times when he had lain awake next to Will while his fiancé slept peacefully, staring wide-eyed up at the ceiling, wishing that he could slip away undetected.

But what if Will awakened sometime in the night and realised that he wasn't there? He would ask questions, of course. And Hannibal wouldn't be able to answer them.

At least, not truthfully. And he had already vowed to himself that he would be honest with Will -- at least as honest as he could possibly be.

He wouldn't be honest about his past.

If he revealed all that he had done, he was sure that he'd lose Will. And he couldn't let that happen. Not having Will in his life would destroy him. If Will knew the truth about him, the things that he had done, Hannibal was absolutely positive that it would tear them apart.

He couldn't live without Will in his life. All right, he told himself, a slight smile curving his lips, perhaps that was being just a bit melodramatic.

But there was a kernel of truth in the words. He _could_ continue living without Will by his side, but life would no longer contain any joy, any pleasure.

Without Will, his desire to live would be gone. He doubted that he would last much longer if Will, for some reason, decided to leave him. He would more than likely become sloppy, make mistakes, and allow himself to be gunned down by the police.

Without the man he loved, death seemed preferable to a continued existence.

Losing Will would feel as though his world had ended. He didn't want to feel that sad, that bereft. He _needed_ Will in his life, in his bed, in his arms.

And he was sure that Will needed him, too. They each gave each other a love that they desperately needed; he didn't think either of them wanted to live without it.

But the secrets that he'd kept from Will about his past would be impossible to keep once they were married. He might have to come clean about some aspects of his past, though he would much prefer not to. He would like to be able to start all over with a clean slate.

On their wedding day, he would leave his past as a serial killer behind him. It was the least he could do for the man he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

Will deserved a man who was untainted. He deserved a man who would try with all of his heart to be the best person he could be. A man without secrets.

Hannibal was going to try his utmost to be that man.

He would have to give up all of his secrets, but really, he didn't mind doing that. It was a small price to pay for having Will in his life and in his heart.

To keep Will, to make their marriage harmonious, he would do whatever he had to do, no matter how difficult it might be for him.

It would all be worth it in the end. No matter what he had to give up, having Will by his side would be more than enough compensation for that. Besides, it was time to give up his Chesapeake Ripper persona. Will was getting too close. Eventually, he would be caught.

Hannibal sighed softly, closing his eyes. Yes, it was past time that he put that life behind him. Especially if he wanted a life spent with the man he loved, rather than one behind bars.

That life was over and done with. Those secrets would be kept. He would carry them to his grave, to ensure that he and Will would have a happy life together.

That life was more important than any secret.

It might not be easy to keep those secrets, to lock them away within himself and never speak of them. But for the sake of his marriage, he would have to do just that.

Hannibal was sure that he could do it -- just as he was sure that he could control those urges that had always risen up within him.

With Will in his life, he could keep those urges at bay. He could control himself.

Really, he would have no choice.

If he didn't, then he would be separated from Will forever.

And he would not, _could_ not, allow that to happen.


	20. A Life-Changing Experience

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loving Hannibal has changed his life for the better -- but there are some parts of his old life that Will can't leave behind him just yet.

His life had changed so much since he met Hannibal.

Will leaned back on the couch, smiling at the ceiling. It was still hard to believe that he was here, living with the man he loved, engaged to him.

How had this happened? How had he gotten so lucky as to fall in love with someone who actually loved him in return, someone who wanted to marry him?

It still seemed impossible. There were times when he wanted to pinch himself, when he was sure that he would wake up to find out that this was all a dream, that it had never happened, that he was alone with the dogs in his house at Wolf Trap, living by himself.

But it wasn't a dream. His life had taken a turn for the better, one that he would have never thought it could take even in his wildest dreams.

How many times had he told himself that he was some kind of freak of nature, that his unique ability made him destined to live his life alone, to never find love?

But that wasn't so. He didn't have to be alone. Not ever again.

He'd found the person he loved, the person who loved him back just as deeply. He was getting married. They were planning their wedding, a glorious, beautiful celebration.

It still hardly seemed real to him, but he knew that it was happening. He was going to marry the man he loved more than he'd ever thought himself capable of loving anyone, and his life was only going to keep getting better. He would never go back to being lonely.

Just the thought of that loneliness made him shudder. He never wanted to feel that way again, so isolated, so cut off from human contact, from his own emotions.

He would never be that person again. That loneliness was gone forever.

It was amazing how falling in love had changed his life, Will told himself, a smile curving his lips. If anyone in the past he had told him that it would, he'd have scoffed at them, made some sarcastic joke and told them that love wasn't that simple, that it didn't change lives.

But that was before he had known about the power of love, and had experienced firsthand for himself just how powerful it was and what it could do.

Did Hannibal feel the same way? he wondered. Did his fiancé feel that his life had changed for the better since Will had come into it?

Of course he did, Will told himself firmly. If Hannibal didn't feel that way, then he wouldn't have asked Will to marry him; he wouldn't even now be planning their wedding. He wouldn't be so overjoyed at the thought of the two of them being united in matrimony.

Both of their lives had changed for the better.

Things would get even better after the wedding; he was sure of that. His life was on an upward trajectory, and he didn't think anything could stop it.

Though of course, he had to wonder if Hannibal would stil want him to work with the FBI and utilize his empathy once they were married. That was the one fly in the ointment of his current happiness -- not knowing what his fiancé might have planned for their future together.

He didn't want to stop working in the field. He didn't want to stop helping people. He loved teaching, but that wouldn't be enough. He needed more from his work.

He had to feel that he was doing something constructive.

Will sighed, knowing that wasn't the crux of the problem. What he _had_ to do was catch the Chesapeake Ripper. Once he had done that, then he could relax.

Once that goal had been accomplished, then he could walk away from his work in the field. He would be able to feel that he'd done the most that he could possibly do.

Hannibal had to be all right with that, Will thought with a sigh. They would have to talk about it, and he'd have to explain to his fiancé how important it was to him for that chapter of his life to be over and done with, a closed book that he could walk away from.

He loved Hannibal dearly. The other man had changed his life. But this was one aspect that couldn't change; he would have to be ready for that change before he could let it occur.

And he wasn't ready for it. He knew that, and he was fairly sure that Hannibal did, too. But they would have to talk, to be sure that they were on the same page.

It really wasn't a conversation that Will relished having.

Still, he had no choice in the matter. This was something that would eat away at him for the rest of his life if he walked away and left the case unsolved.

He couldn't do that. Not to Jack and the team, not to all of the people who had suffered and died at the hands of such a monster, and not to their loved ones, the people who needed some closure. And most of all, he couldn't do that to himself.

It would color his whole future if he left this case unsolved and didn't have closure for himself. He would never be completely happy. It would always haunt him.

He couldn't let that happen. He couldn't risk his own happiness -- or Hannibal's.

They would have to talk about this at some point, and the sooner, the better, Will told himself, sighing again. It would more than likely be another life-changing conversation.

But it was one that they had to have. And there was no time like the present, he thought as he got to his feet and went in search of the man he loved.

This wouldn't be an easy conversation.

Not when the rest of his life depended on the outcome.


	21. Less Complicated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will discovers why Hannibal seems uneasy about him continuing to work on the Chesapeake Ripper case.

Will stood in the doorway of Hannibal's study, taking a deep breath.

He had to talk to his fiancé now, before he lost his nerve. He had to make Hannibal understand his need to do his job, to have some closure.

What if Hannibal didn't agree with him? The thought clutched at his heart, almost making him panic. What if Hannibal expected him to stop chasing the Chesapeake Ripper, to give up something that had been the main focus of his life for so long?

Will wasn't sure that he could do that -- and if he and Hannibal couldn't come to some kind of agreement on the issue, then they had some very big problems.

But he wasn't entirely sure of just how to approach this problem.

Did he take the proverbial bull by the horns, or did he try to feel Hannibal out with questions that would skirt around the main issue.

At that moment, Hannibal looked up, a smile on his face. "Come in and sit down, Will," he invited, gesturing to Will to come into the room. "You look upset."

Upset? He hadn't realized that he was wearing his emotions on his face. Schooling his features into a smile that he was sure looked false, Will came into the room and sat down on the couch, wondering just what he should say, how he should start this conversation.

Hannibal looked at Will, leaning back in his chair and folding his hands over his stomach. "Will, what is it? What it bothering you? I know that something is."

Will nodded slowly, sighing and wishing that he knew how to put his feelings into words. He needed to get this out into the open, to resolve the conflict within him.

And then the words were pouring out of their own volition.

"Hannibal, I can't stop trying to catch the Chesapeake Ripper. I know you don't want me working in the field after we're married, but I have to. I can't just quit."

Hannibal leaned forward, placing his hands on his knees, staring intently into Will's tense face. "I don't expect you to, Will," he said, his voice very soft. "I know what this means to you. Ending your quest so abruptly, without having closure for it, wouldn't be good for you."

Will's heart leapt at those words. Hannibal _did_ understand how he felt. He should have realized that his fiancé would be this perceptive.

But Hannibal's next words made his heart stand still. "I know that you have a job to do. But I fear for you, Will. I fear for our future. For your life."

What? Had he heard correctly? Hannibal thought that this case might get him hurt -- or killed? Or was there a different reason for his fear? Did he think that Will was so obsessed with this case that it might take over his life -- to the exclusion of what the two of them had together?

That wasn't going to happen, of course. He intended to do his job and to catch this killer, but not at the expense of his relationship with the man he loved.

He had to make Hannibal understand that fact.

"You don't have to be afraid for me, Hannibal," he said, his voice very soft. "I won't place myself in any kind of unnecessary danger, I promise. I have too much to lose."

He hoped that he was right about that. He really hoped so. He didn't want to put himself into any danger, but he knew that his work sometimes required that he do just that.

The last thing he wanted was to cause Hannibal a moment's fear or anxiousness; and more than that, he didn't want his fiancé to start having second thoughts about them getting married. He didn't want Hannibal to feel that there was too much of a risk involved.

"We both have so much to lose if anything should happen to you, Will," Hannibal replied. "You would lose your life -- and I would lose the only love of mine."

Those words made Will's eyes fill with tears; without another word, he leaned forward to take Hannibal's hands in his own, looking into the other man's eyes.

"Just let me do this one thing. Then I can retire in peace."

He hoped that Hannibal would understand; this was something that he had to do for himself, tracking down this killer and closing the book on a part of his life.

Hannibal was silent for a moment, gazing at Will. Then he nodded, and a small smile curved his lips. "All right, Will. I understand that you need some closure for this. But I have a strange feeling that the Ripper will simply vanish from sight. After all, he hasn't been active lately."

Will's blue eyes widened as he realized that Hannibal was right. The Chesapeake Ripper had been very quiet; it was as though he had disappeared into thin air.

If he had gone dormant, then maybe he was dead. 

Will doubted that, but there was always a chance. And he fervently hoped that the Ripper's killings were ended, that the architect of them was gone for good.

"If he's disappeared, then that would make my life a lot easier," he said with a smile. "And that would mean that you don't have anything to fear. You don't, anyway, to be honest. This is the only case that I want to keep working on in the field, Hannibal. I want to take a break from it."

Hannibal nodded, his brilliant smile telling Will that he'd made the right choice. He had to take himself out of harm's way, for Hannibal's sake.

It was the best thing to do, for both of them. For their future together.

Whatever would make Hannibal happy made him happy, too.

He wanted to make his life less complicated. And this was just the first step in doing so.


	22. Good With Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will is having a hard time expressing what he wants to say in his wedding vows.

Will looked down at the paper in front of him, frowning.

He ran one hand through his tousled curls, feeling frustrated. How was he supposed to write his vows when he didn't know how to put his feelings into words?

He and Hannibal had agreed that they wanted to write their own vows; somehow, it seemed more romantic, and more fitting to their wedding. The traditional words just didn't feel right to Will; he wanted to say his own words, to express his own thoughts and feelings.

He hadn't realized just how difficult it was going to be to _find_ his own words. The feelings were there -- he just didn't know how to get them out.

He'd never been good with words, in any capacity.

Will sighed, resting his chin in his hand and staring down at the blank piece of paper in front of him. This was proving to be a much more daunting task than he'd thought it would be.

How was it that some people could write words down on paper, and they came flowing out so easily and quickly? He was struggling to find even _one_ word.

He knew how he felt about Hannibal. He knew that he loved the other man with all of his heart and soul, and that he wanted to pledge his life to that love and to their union. He should just say that, shouldn't he? After all, it was what he felt, what was in his heart.

But somehow, those words didn't feel like the right ones to say in wedding vows while he was standing at the altar gazing into the eyes of the man he was marrying.

Besides, everyone would already _know_ that was how he felt. That was why they would be there, to watch two people pledge their lives and hearts to each other.

There was no reason to _say_ it out loud, was there?

Will scowled at the paper, wishing that words came as easily to him as they did to Hannibal. He was sure that his fiancé already had _his_ vows neatly written.

Hannibal was so good with expressing himself in words, Will thought wistfully. He was never at a loss for anything to say -- and somehow, he always knew how to say exactly what Will needed to hear. 

Knowing Hannibal, he would probably even memorize them before the ceremony, and not have to even think about it. Words flowed from him like water from a fountain. If only he had that same facility with words, Will thought wistfully. This would be so much easier if he did.

He knew how he felt. He just didn't know how to translate those emotions into words on a page, written there in stark black and white letters.

But did he really need to? he asked himself, his spirits rising as a thought hit him. Did he have to prepare his vows beforehand? Couldn't he just let them tumble out?

That would be more his style, really -- to stand there and gaze into Hannibal's dark eyes, to hold his hands, and to let all of the love and commitment he felt come out in words _then_. He would be able to let those words out of his heart in that situation, he was sure of it.

But what if he couldn't? he asked himself. What if he was so nervous that all the words dried up, and he just stodd there, unable to say a thing?

Everyone would laugh -- he didn't doubt that for a moment. And he would look like a fool, on his wedding day, in front of his fiancé and everyone there. Not to mention that he would embarrass Hannibal.

That wouldn't happen, he told himself firmly. He wouldn't let it.

But no .... it wasn't a good idea to be standing there in front of the altar completely unprepared. He needed to write something down, to form words beforehand.

He had to know what he was going to say, or at least have some idea of the words he wanted to use. He couldn't just wing it. Not on his wedding day.

This day was too important, both to him and to Hannibal. It would only happen once for both of them, and the vows they said to each other, even if they weren't perfectly expressed, had to be genuine and come from the heart. He couldn't screw this up.

So he had to know what he wanted to say, or at least to have some kind of outline of his vows written down so he wouldn't stand there like a stuttering fool.

He didn't want to be there at the altar on his wedding day feeling -- and worse, looking -- like a fish that had just been landed, his mouth gaping open silently.

He had to find words. They were there. They just didn't want to come out.

That didn't mean that he loved Hannibal any less, Will told himself. It was just that words didn't come easily to him, even when his heart was full.

Hannibal would understand that, of course. He knew that Will didn't have a facility with words. Maybe Hannibal would help him write his vows. All he'd have to do was explain that he was having some trouble with expressing himself, and his fianc´ would untangle his tongue.

Will smiled as he got to his feet, stretching as he did so. He'd been sitting here for too long. He needed to find Hannibal and ask for a little inspiration.

He had no doubt that he would get all he asked for -- and more. 

That thought put a smile on his face, and quickened his steps as he left the room.

Somehow, he didn't think that he'd working any more on writing his vows tonight.


	23. That Smile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will's smile can still make Hannibal's heart skip a beat, and bring happiness to his soul.

Hannibal opened his eyes to the brightness of a new day, at the sunshine streaming through the windows.

He blinked once, then again, then stretched and sat up, feeling warm and contented.

He couldn't hold back a smile of contentment; last night had been wonderful, joining with Will, then holding the man he loved in his arms as they both drifted off to sleep.

There was something undeniably wonderful about the time they spent holding each other after making love; that time was better than the sex itself.

He was sure that Will felt the same way he did, he thought, his smile growing wider. Who would have thought when they first met that he and Will would become so close, that they would fall in love? Who could have known that Will would feel the same way he did?

He had been shocked when he'd realized that Will's feelings mirrored his own. He had expected to have to keep his feelings hidden, that they would remain unrequited.

Every time he thought about the fact that he and Will were engaged to be married, his heart seemed to skip a beat, then to surge with happiness, lighter than a feather on the wind. 

Yes, he was happy. Truly happy, for the first time in his life.

He'd never expected this, either. He had decided a long time ago that happiness was for other people, never for him. He had been satisfied with merely being content.

Then Will Graham had come into his life, like a shooting star, a comet blazing across the dark sky of his life. Will had been such a revelation; realizing that he was in love with this young man had let him know that, contrary to al that he'd thought, his heart was still intact.

He had been so sure that love wasn't for him, that his heart was nothing more than a beating instrument, that it could never feel deeply. But he had been wrong.

He loved Will. And miraculously, Will loved him.

That thought still gave him a start, and filled him with wonder. How could an incredible man like Will have fallen for him? How had he gotten so lucky?

Will could have fallen in love with anyone -- and yet, this incredible, amazing man had chosen _him_. He still felt humbled and honored by that fact.

Why had fate chosen him to receive such a prize?

Ah, well, Hannibal thought as he propped himself up on his elbow to look down at his fiancé slumbering beside him. It wasn't for him to ask why. He only needed to be grateful that Will _did_ love him, and to be deliriously happy that it was so.

He had all that he wanted in life, he reflected. And once he and Will were married, he would feel complete, more so than he ever had in all of his life.

He had known from the moment he had first seen Will that this man would be important to him in so many ways. But he hadn't fallen in love right from the first.

No, the love had come later. Though he knew that he had felt his heart turn over in his chest when he had seen that smile for the first time, the smile that came from Will's heart and transformed his face from merely being that of a handsome man into being rapturously beautiful.

It was the smile of a god, an Adonis. A smile that turned him inside-out.

He could still remember the first time he had seen Will's smile. It was as though his breath had stopped, his heart had ceased to be, and time no longer existed.

That smile, the first time he had seen it, had taken Hannibal's breath away. And every time Will smiled at him, he still caught his breath and felt his heart go still.

That smile what what had captured his heart.

How could he _not_ have fallen in love? he asked himself, the smile still on his own lips as he reached out to stroke Will's dark curls back from his face.

Such a smile didn't seem to belong to a mere human being. It had not only transformed Will's face into something so beautiful that Hannibal almost felt pain to look upon him, but it had reached out to him, wrapping around him, making him feel that there was hope in his dark world.

That smile had spoken of sunshine and happiness, of a world where he could leave the shadows he'd dwelt in for so long behind him and luxuriate in warmth and love.

He _wanted_ that sunshine, that happiness. He wanted that warmth.

Most of all, he wanted that love. The love that he knew Will had for him, the love that he had craved but hadn't thought he could ever possibly have.

Will's love was everything to him. He needed nothing more than having this man by his side to bring his life full circe, to make him feel complete in every way.

At that moment, Will opened his eyes and smiled sleepily up at him, and Hannibal was sure that he could feel his heart melting. That smile opened up all the doors to his heart that he'd thought had been soldered closed, and it brought in the sunshine and happiness -- and, yes, the love.

Smiling himself, he lowered his head to brush his lips against Will's in a gentle good-morning kiss, his arms sliding around that slender waist, pulling Will close against him.

Somehow, Hannibal had the feeling that it would be a long time before they emerged from their bedroom -- and that they would both be completely sated when they did.

Will smiled again, and Hannibal's heart turned over in his chest once more.

He didn't doubt that he would see that smile several more times before this morning was over.


	24. Unbroken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will reflects on the bond that he's shared with Hannibal ever since the moment they first met.

When had his bond with Hannibal begun to be formed?

Will frowned, trying to remember exactly how he had felt when he'd first met the other man. Had that bond been there right from the beginning?

He was sure that it had, at least in part. From the very first, he'd felt drawn to Hannibal; he'd wanted to know him better from the moment that they had met.

He didn't know just why he'd felt so drawn to Hannibal; maybe he had felt a kinship with the other man that had grown into deeper feelings as time had progressed and they'd gotten to know each other better. There had been something about the other man that he couldn't resist.

That bond between them had existed from the first handshake, the first smile, the first hello. And it had only grown stronger over time.

It was still hard for him to believe that they were getting married, that their bond was going to remain unbroken throughout the years and decades to come.

That bond would never be broken, not in all their lives.

In this life and in any other, he would be with Hannibal. He had given himself to this man, heart and soul, and he was going to be Hannibal's for all of eternity.

The kind of bond that they had was completely unbreakable. He was secure in that knowledge; nothing was ever going to tear them apart. No one else even appealed to him in that way; no one had the ability to take him away from Hannibal, to make his eyes roam.

And he was sure that Hannibal felt the same way about him, Will thought with a smile. He could tell by the way that Hannibal looked at him, by the tone of his voice.

He could tell by the way that Hannibal made love to him.

Just the thought of their lovemaking brought a smile to Will's face. He blushed as he remembered the evening before; it had been a night of ecstasy.

He had wanted it to go on forever, to never stop. When their physical coupling was over, Hannibal had held him, smiling into his eyes, not needing words.

Such strong emotions existed between them that words were superfluous. Their words were expressed in the way they looked at each other, the way that they touched. Their kisses told each other all they needed to know; their emotions were on full display in their actions.

All he had to do was look at Hannibal to know that he was loved. There was something in the aura of the man he loved that reached out to him.

Hannibal's love wrapped around him like a warm blanket, one that he could curl up with and snuggle into. It was just one more aspect of their bond with each other.

Would he ever have been able to forge a bond like this with anyone else? Will didn't think so. No one else had ever attracted him in the way that Hannibal did -- and, more importantly, no one else had ever understood him like his fiancé always had.

No one else had ever _wanted_ to understand him, Will thought wryly. Everyone else in his life had always kept him at arm's length.

Hannibal was the only person who had ever wanted to discover just what made him tick. And that was one of the main reasons why their bond was so strong.

And it was why their bond would remain unbroken.

There was nothing in the universe that could tear the two of them apart, Will told himself firmly. He would love Hannibal forever. Nothing could change that.

He knew that there were people who thought that Hannibal was making an unfortunate choice in marrying him. He knew that a lot of the more "society" people who knew Hannibal thought that he could do much better than an FBI agent with social anxiety.

But Hannibal loved him, and he loved Hannibal. Their bond paid no heed to what other people might think of their relationship. What others thought wasn't important.

What mattered was how they felt about each other.

He would hold on to that, and never forget it, Will told himself. There was no reason for him to worry, or to even care, about what the rest of the world might think.

As long as he and Hannibal made each other happy, then nothing else mattered. And their bond would keep growing, keep getting stronger.

They would never lose each other, Will vowed. Through the years that they would spend together as a married couple, he would make sure of that. He would do all that he could to make sure that their relationship kept growing, that their bond was always renewed.

He couldn't even begin to picture the rest of his life without Hannibal. He belonged with this man. He had been Hannibal's since that first meeting.

Will couldn't help but smile at that thought. Hannibal had him at hello. He had fallen, then and there, and he never wanted to get back up again.

He hadn't just fallen. He had tumbled, head over heels, and he was glad of it. 

He'd fallen headlong into happiness, with the only man who could ever have been his other half. He had no regrets, Will thought with a smile. He never would.

So a lot of people didn't think that Hannibal was making the right choice, and didn't believe that their marriage would work. Will took a deep breath, pushing that thought away. Those people didn't matter. He and Hannibal wold prove them all wrong.

Their marriage would last, and it would be a happy one. Years from now, they would still be together, still be in love, and be closer than ever.

And their bond would still be strong and unbroken.


	25. Faith To Overcome

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannibal isn't sure he has enough faith in himself to overcome the need he has to kill.

The need was upon him again. A need that he didn't want to feel. 

He had to have faith in himself to overcome it, and in his commitment to Will.

Hannibal sighed softly, leaning back in his desk chair and closing his eyes. His last client had just left, and he'd had a hard time concentrating on their session today.

He didn't want to be like this. He wanted to be able to make the decision to end his secrete life easily, to feel that having Will as his husband would more than compensate for it.

But there were times when he had to wonder if that was true. Would loving Will make up for the loss of a life that he'd led since he was a child? A life that he had grown so used to that it had become the core of who he was, fitting him like a second skin?

Of course he loved Will. And of course he wanted to give up that life in order to have the man he loved by his side as his husband. But it wouldn't be easy.

He had already gotten rid of the basement room that he had done his grisly work in. And he had thrown out a good deal of what he had kept there.

He'd had to do that. He'd had no choice. It was the first step.

There was still so much he would have to do, and all of it would be harder than simply getting rid of evidence and converting the basement into a storage room.

He would have to give up something that had become ingrained in him, something he had always felt kept him beyond the pale of humanity. He hadn't had a hard time giving it up so far, but he knew that it would become more difficult not to go back to that life as time went on.

But he couldn't go back to it, Hannibal told himself firmly. That would mean losing Will, and for him, that would be a fate far worse than death.

He couldn't lose Will. That would be the end of his life.

Hannibal sighed softly, closing his eyes, letting a vision of his fiancé fill his mind's eye. The thought of Will made him relax and brought a smile to his lips.

Will. The man the loved. The man who was worth giving up all the vestiges of his hidden life for, the man who made him believe in himself again.

Having Will in his life was worth anything he had to do. He simply had to have faith that he could do it, that Will was enough to keep him on what most people called the "straight and narrow." He had to have faith in what he felt for Will, to believe that those feelings would stay strong.

His faith hadn't wavered yet, but Hannibal was sure that it would be tested. All faiths had to pass a test, and this one would be more strenuous than most.

He sighed again, resting his head in his hands. He loved Will. He had no doubts about that. But he was still unsure as to whether that love would be stronger than his need.

He _needed_ to kill. It has been a part of who he was for so long that he knew the longer he went without it, the more he would crave killing. It was in his blood, that need. And he wasn't at all sure that the pure and shining love he felt for Will would subdue that bloodlust.

He _wanted_ to be sure. He wanted his faith in what he felt for Will to be strong. He wanted that faith to be able to overcome all obstacles.

But he had to be realistic, he told himself. Faith was always put to the test, and he wasn't at all sure that he could pass that test when the time came.

Already, he was starting to feel the urge to kill rising within him.

Hannibal firmly pushed that urge down, refusing to listen to the little voice in the back of his mind that told him he should still be able to do whatever he wanted.

Of course, he _could_ try to keep his secret life a secret -- but if Will found out, the love between them would be destroyed. He knew his fiancé well enough to know that Will could never love a monster -- and that Will would never let him go free if he knew.

Will wanted to capture the Chesapeake Ripper. And if he had even the slightest inkling that the Ripper was his husband, then Hannibal would no longer be his husband.

Will would sever their link. The love would vanish without a trace.

Oh, Will might have some regrets for what could have been -- but Hannibal was sure that the other man's feelings wouldn't stay the same. There was no way that they could.

No, he _had_ to give up his secret life. He had to have faith that he could do it. He had to believe in his own strength -- and in the strength of his love for Will.

He had to believe that their bond could overcome anything -- even the need that had been within him for so many years that it felt as comfortable as an old overcoat that he could slide into whenever he made his way into the darkness of the night to take a victim.

Hannibal sat up straighter, opening his eyes. There was steely determination in his gaze, a desire that went further than anything he'd ever felt before.

He _would_ overcome this need that festered within him like a cancer. He _would_ be the man he wanted to be. For Will. For what they shared together.

This damnable need would _not_ destroy the love he had found. He wouldn't let it. 

He would have faith. And that faith would carry him through.


	26. Dancing Through Their Lives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will is finding it hard to put his feelings for Hannibal into words.

He could hardly wait for the wedding to happen.

They'd set a date, the invitations were sent, the chapel was booked, and everything was ready. All they had to do now was write their wedding vows.

Will frowned down at the notebook in front of him, wishing that he could find the words that he wanted to say to the man who would become his husband in less than two weeks' time. The words were there, in his heart, but they were only feelings at the moment.

He knew what he felt. He knew that he was in love. But he had a hard time expressing those feelings in words that could be heard and understood by anyone.

He'd never been good at expressing himself in words.

Then again, he had never actually been good at expressing his emotions in any way, Will thought with a sigh. He was just lucky that Hannibal could sense how he felt.

But saying the words "I love you" had become much easier for him once he had said them to Hannibal for the first time, he thought, brightening, a smile curving his lips. Just saying those words once had broken down the wall that he'd always kept up within himself.

And now, he found that those words came out a lot more than he'd thought they would when he was with the man he loved. That was a good feeling.

There were times that he felt those words were always dancing on the tip of his tongue, that they would come out at any moment. And now, he wasn't afraid to let them out.

Now, he could say those words aloud, because he knew that his feelings were returned. And he would keep saying them, keep letting them dance off his lips, because he knew that Hannibal would smile at him and say those same words back to him -- and that he would mean it.

The two of them would keep this happiness intact, keep dancing through their lives as their love grew stronger and their commitment to each other became even deeper.

With Hannibal, life was a dance, and he actually knew the steps.

He wanted to keep dancing with this man, all through the rest of his life, never letting each other go. He wanted to stay this happy for all of his days.

They _would_ be happy, Will told himself firmly. They had to be. There was no reason for them not to be. Their romance was like a fairy tale, and they deserved to have the proverbial happy ending. They'd both been through a lot to find each other. Fate should be kind to them.

And suddenly, the words came to him. He bent over the notebook, putting pen to paper, letting the words flow out as they coalesced within his mind.

Now that he knew what he wanted to say, the words flowed so freely.


	27. All the Colors of Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will is having a hard time choosing which flowers he wants for the wedding.

Will frowned at the computer screen in front of him, then sighed.

Who would have thought that picking out flowers for his wedding would be such a difficult thing to do? There were so many, and he couldn't decide between them.

The lilies were beautiful, and he thought they smelled heavenly but weren't lilies supposed to be for a funeral, not a wedding? And even though he loved lilacs, he didn't know if Hannibal would appreciate all that purple. He had no idea what kind of flowers his fiancé liked.

They could always go with the traditional red and white roses, he thought with a sigh. He liked roses. But that just seemed like following a pattern.

He didn't want to do that. He wanted their wedding to be unique.

Nothing wrong with that, Will thought defensively, sitting back in his chair. Everyone should want their wedding to be something special, not just following traditions.

He really needed to talk to Hannibal about this, he thought with another sigh. He was out of his depth trying to do things like picking out flower arrangements.

If he was more socially adept, then he'd be able to do things like this, he told himself. He would know what each flower was supposed to represent, and he'd be able to pick out exactly what he wanted. But he couldn't help feeling that he needed Hannibal's input on this.

Hannibal had told him that he had _carte blanche_ with the flowers, that he would like anything Will wanted to choose. But now, he felt hopelessly lost at sea.

This shouldn't be so hard, he thought, feeling a little resentful. Nobody should feel like they were floundering over such a simple thing as choosing flowers.

He stared at the screen, filled with pictures of flowers. 

Will had no way of knowing which of these would look best at their wedding. He had never felt so helpless to make a decision, so unsure about what he wanted.

What would Hannibal choose if he was here? he thought. He squinted at the screen, trying to put himself into his fiance´'s mind. But that felt impossible. 

He had no idea what Hannibal would choose. Will sighed softly, wishing that he could simply close the computer and walk away, and let someone else choose all of this. Someone who had better taste in these kinds of things than he did, someone with more experience.

He should let Hannibal choose the flowers, he thought with another sigh. But then he wouldn't have what _he_ wanted for their wedding -- well, whatever that was.

He was completely unsure as to what he wanted. There were so many choices that it felt as if he was snowed under by them, bombarded with too much information.

Hannibal would be able to look at all of these pictures, give them careful consideration, and then make a choice between them all. His choice would be informed, and whatever he picked out would be appropriate. He would know what meaning was attached to each flower, each color.

Will sighed again, propping his chin in his hands as he stared intently at the screen. He wished that he had some clue of what each flower and color meant.

But then, the meanings weren't all that important, were they? Hannibal had said that it was what _he_ liked that was important. What flowers _he_ wanted to have.

He just wished that he could simply make a choice.

And then, as he gazed at all of the different choices of flowers, a small bouquet in a picture tucked into a corner of the screen caught his eye, and Will perked up.

The flowers were beautiful. Roses, of different colors, hues that he knew couldn't be natural. But that didn't matter. They were beautiful, and he loved them.

He looked at the caption on them: "Kaleidoscope roses." The colors jumped out at him; they were so bright, so intense. And he knew, the longer he looked at them, that they were exactly what he wanted. They would be perfect for their wedding, and perfect for his feelings.

All the colors of love were in that bouquet. All the things that he felt for Hannibal, all the love that was in his heart, all of his hopes and dreams for their future together.

He couldn't have found more perfect flowers. The thought of showing these to Hannibal almost made him glow with pride and anticipation.

No other flowers would do. These were the perfect choice.

These would be absolutely perfect. They almost seemed to call to him from the screen; if he closed his eyes, he could smell their sweet scent from where he sat.

All those colors! Will told himself, smiling. They were truly a feast for the eyes. They were beautiful, all swirling together. Every color of every emotion that he felt for Hannibal, everything that he wanted to say but found it so hard to articulate in mere words.

These flowers were the colors of his heart, the colors of his love. All swirled together to form one huge, beautiful bouquet that burst with joy and love and hope.

After all, that was what a wedding celebration was all about.

Now that he had found the perfect flowers, he just had to show them to Hannibal. But he didn't think that would be hard to do; his fiancé would approve of his choice.

Somehow, he just knew that Hannibal would love these flowers. And something told him that from now on, he would find bouquets of kaleidoscope roses in their home, and that these would be the flowers of choice any time that Hannibal gave him a bouquet, or even a single rose.

All the colors of love were here, and he would never tire of looking at them, Will thought with a soft smile. And he was sure that Hannibal would feel the same.

He had truly found the perfect flowers for the perfect wedding.


	28. Headlong Into Happiness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will has never felt that happiness was something he would find, but now that he has it, he's determined not to let it go.

How was it possible for him to be this happy?

Will leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms over his head. The invitations were done, and the plans for the wedding were moving along well.

It hardly seemed possible that in less than a month's time, he and Hannibal would be getting married. He would have a ring on his finger. He would have a husband.

He already had one ring on his finger, Will thought as he lifted his hand to gaze at the thick gold band with the diamond winking in the center. He had objected to having an engagement ring at first, but Hannibal had insisted on it, and he'd gone along with his fiancé's wishes.

Actually, he liked wearing this ring, he thought with a soft smile. He liked knowing that he belonged to Hannibal. He liked having that knowledge in plain view.

Also, wearing that ring kept any unwanted advances from other people far away from him. Most, if not all, of the people who saw him respected what that ring stood for.

He loved what this ring stood for. Happiness.

Who would have thought when he first met Hannibal that so much would have happened between them? Will thought with another smile. It seemed like a fairy tale.

He had fallen headlong into happiness, and he never wanted to get up again. He was sure that the life they had ahead of them would be filled with that same happiness, and that it would only keep growing day by day, year by year, until they were old and grey together.

It wasn't hard to imagine himself growing with Hannibal, and loving him for all those years. The days would be golden, and he was actually looking forward to them.

Their years together would be the best time of his life.

He had never thought that he was meant for happiness; he'd always seen it as something that was intended for other people, but never for him.

Still, had he ever really tried to find it before? he wondered. He didn't think so. He had always shied away from finding that happiness, sure that it would never last.

Maybe that was why he had been single for so long, Will mused. Maybe he had just been afraid to make the kind of commitment that he'd made now; maybe he was just terrified that it wouldn't last, and that he would be left in a worse state than when he'd begun.

He hadn't wanted to deal with that kind of emotional pain, so he had closed himself off from it. But now, he had opened the floodgates, and he was willing to take a chance.

No, he wasn't taking a chance with his happiness, he told himself firmly. Hannibal would never hurt him. He was sure of that, as sure as he was of his own name.

Hannibal loved him. Hannibal would never cheat on him, or do anything to make him feel marginalized and small. Other people had; even people who had claimed to care about him in the past had used words to make him feel as though he was somehow less than they were.

That wasn't in Hannibal's nature, to do something like that. Oh, he could do it to others; he was good at cutting people down to size when he felt that they needed it.

But he would never do that to someone he cared about. Will was absolutely positive of that. He would never be on the receiving end of Hannibal's tongue-lashings.

He held a special place within Hannibal's heart, a place that he treasured.

And Hannibal held that same place within his own heart, a place where he would always be. Will couldn't imagine a life without loving him, not now.

Hannibal had come into his life with a bright shower of sparks, like fireworks flashing across a darkened night sky. He had been brilliant and exciting, and Will had turned to him instinctively, as a child turns from darkness to light, holding out his arms -- and his heart -- for comfort.

He didn't regret falling for Hannibal, not for a single second. He knew that he'd done the right thing for himself. He had done what made him happy.

He had never expected to feel like this, and he cherished the emotion.

He'd been so sure that he could never fall headlong into happiness like this, that he would always be on the outside looking in. And now, suddenly, surprisingly, everything had changed.

He was on the inside now. He had the happiness that he had always wanted, but had never thought would come to him. He was no longer an outsider, longing for warmth and love.

He had that love. It was his to hold close to him, his to wrap himself in. And he would, Will told himself, his eyes dreamy, a smile curving his lips at the thought. He would hold that love to himself, within his heart, and he would guard it carefully, making sure to never lose it.

Life with Hannibal might not always be easy; they both had strong opinions, and they wouldn't always agree on everything. They would clash here and there; he was sure of it.

But those clashes wouldn't take anything of what they felt for each other. He would always love Hannibal. That love was lodged firmly in his heart, and it would never leave.

Happiness was something that he could now reach out and touch.

He had never thought that he would get to this point in life, Will thought with a smile, rising to his feet. But here he was. He felt like the happiest man in the world.

He might have rushed headlong into happiness, but the outcome was what he'd been searching for all of his life. And it was something that he would always cherish.


	29. Let's Have Some Fun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannibal proposes that Will put aside his wedding plans for the afternoon so that the two of them can make time for fun.

"I think that we need to go out and have some fun."

Will raised his head from the computer screen, where he was perusing different decorations that they could order for the wedding. "What do you mean?"

Hannibal shook his head, pointing to the computer. "Turn that off, Will. Please. Now. You have been immersed in the plans for the wedding lately, and I believe that it's making you stress even more than you usually do. You and I need to do something that will be fun for both of us."

"Fun?" Will blinked, unsure as to what Hannibal meant. "But .... we don't have time for that, Hannibal. We have to get all of this done so we don't have to stress on our wedding day."

Hannibal shook his head again, a smile hovering on his lips.

"Will, I can assure you that we will not stress on our wedding day. Please believe me when I say that. We will both be far too happy for stress. You are worrying far too much."

Will looked doubtful, having a hard time believe what his fiancé was saying. "But the wedding is so close, Hannibal, and I haven't gotten a lot of stuff done. I don't really want to hire a wedding planner; that feels way too .... impersonal for me. I want this to be hands-on."

Hannibal came over to where Will was sitting, putting a hand on the other man's shoulder and squeezing gently, even as he shook is head again.

When his words came, they were spoken slowly, as if he was feeling his way.

"Will I can understand why you feel that you need to do all of the wedding planning yourself. You want this to be just the way we want it," he began, his voice soft.

He raised a hand when Will opened his mouth, asking the other man to be silent for a moment. "But I believe that you are working far too hard on this. Running yourself into the ground before the wedding is not going to do either of us any good, and it will reduce your pleasure in our big day."

Will sighed softly, nodding in agreement with Hannibal's words. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he knew that his fiancé was right; he _had_ been working too hard.

He had been stressing over every little detail for the wedding, and he had forgotten that the two of them needed to spend some time having fun and enjoying themselves.

Maybe Hannibal was right, he told himself, a smile starting to curve his lips. The two of them needed to do something together, something that they both enjoyed, something that would bring smiles to their faces. He needed to put away his stress and worry, at least for a little while.

"You know, having fun sounds like a great idea," he said, smiling up at Hannibal and putting his own hand over the other man's. "What did you have in mind?"

Hannibal gazed at him with an enigmatic expression, smiling again.

"If I told you now, then you would not be surprised when we get there," he said, his smile growing. "But I believe that it will be something we can both enjoy."

"Now I'm curious," Will told him, laughing. "Come on, at least give me a little clue. What could it be? Roller skating? A visit to the dog park? Wait, I know!" he said, snapping his fingers as though a brilliant idea had just occurred to him. "We're going out to a fancy dinner and a museum!"

Hannibal shook his head, though he laughed along with Will. "Of course not, my love. Dinner and a museum would be enjoyable, but not something that you would have fun doing." 

Will laughed again, shaking his head. "Then I'm all out of ideas."

"You do not need to think about what we'll be doing," Hannibal told him, taking his hand. "All you need to do is to get ready to go out for the afternoon."

"How should I dress?" Will said, getting to his feet. "Casual, or dressy? And if it's casual, are we taking the dogs with us?" He was a bit iffy about that; he knew that Hannibal was growing fond of the dogs, but two men and six dogs at once sounded like a bit much to cope with.

Hannibal shook his head, still smiling. "No, we are not. This will just be fun for the two of us. And you don't need to be dressy. Jeans and one of those ubiquitous plaid shirts will do."

Will saluted, laughing again. "Aye aye, sir. Give me five minutes."

It was closer to ten minutes when he came back downstairs from changing his clothes and running a comb through his unruly curls; Hannibal was waiting by the front door.

"You look absolutely wonderful," Hannibal told him, his voice soft. He took Will's hand again, threading their fingers together. "This will involve a bit of a drive, and we will be gone until this evening. I hope that you don't mind leaving the dogs to their own devices today. They have plenty of food and water."

Will nodded, knowing that Hannibal would be true to his word. "They'll be fine. They're used to being alone for long periods of time. They were when I lived in Wolf Trap."

Hannibal nodded, then opened the door, letting Will go out first.

"Then let's have some fun," he said as the locked the door behind them, then bounded down the steps beside his fiancé. "I believe that this will be a good day for both of us."

Will followed him, increasingly curious as to just what the other man had planned for the two of them. Whatever it was, he was sure that it would prove to be a new -- and interesting -- experience.


	30. Like A Fairy Tale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will still finds it hard to believe that he's actually getting married.

It was still hard for Will to believe that he was actually getting married.

Him, a married man. It was still something that seemed like a dream, something that was happening to someone else and not to him. Sometimes he felt that he was living in a dream.

He leaned back in his char, crossing his arms behind his head and closing his eyes, a small smile on his face. Life was good, and it was only going to get better.

How could it _not_ be good? he asked himself. He was in love, and he was going to marry the man he loved and spend the rest of his life with that man. Life didn't get much beter than that. He hadn't expected to have this happiness in his life, but now that he did, he was holding onto it with both hands.

He was sure that Hannibal felt the same way, he told himself with a soft smile. He could see it in the other man's eyes when their gazes met. He could read the love in those dark depths.

He'd never thought that he would find love, had never thought that he was really _worthy_ of being loved. Hannibal had taught him that those thoughts weren't true at all.

He had lived far too long without a secure sense of self-worth.

Will sighed at the thought, shaking his head. His mother had always tried to give him a feeling of worthiness, but his father had been equally insistent on tearing that good feeling to bits.

To his father, he had been a freak, a "weirdo," and he had impressed it upon Will not to let his empathy be known to anyone outside of the three of them.

His ability had been something to be hidden, something to be ashamed of, something that made him "different." And he _had_ been ashamed of it, and of himself, for years. All through his childhood and his teenage years, he'd felt like the freak that his father insisted he was.

Hannibal had changed all that. From the moment they had first met, he'd made Will feel special, made him feel needed and wanted and .... and _desired_. And loved, as well.

Well, maybe not from the first, Will thought with another smile. At first, he'd been suspicious of Hannibal, not letting himself believe that anyone could actually care for him.

But again, that had been his father's training coming through to shoulder its way in front of him and obscure who he really was. It had taken a long time to shake that off.

He'd let himself live like that for too much of his life; now, he knew that his ability was appreciated, that it was needed, and that he wouldnt be looked down on because of it.

No one had really known about his ability, though he had let it slip out a few times. And when he had, people had backed away from him, not even wanting to be in his vicinity. They were afraid of him, afraid that he could see too closely into their secrets, expose things that they didn't want out in the open.

He'd even felt that way at work, even though he was acknowledged as a valuable member of Jack's team. Still, he knew that everyone tended to keep their distance from him.

People were wary of him, and in a way, he could understand that. After all, it was human nature for people to fear what they didnt understand -- and no one had ever understood him.

With Hannibal, that didn't happen. He was completely accepted for who he was.

Loving Hannibal was almost like falling into a fairy tale, one where he was rescued by the handsome prince who held out a hand to him and took him away to a better life.

Will had to laugh aloud at that thought; he didn't really think of himself as someone who was in need of rescue. But he _did_ want a better life than the loneliness he was used to living with.

Marrying the man he loved was going to give him that life. Just being with Hannibal, knowing that he was loved and accepted, had made his life immeasurably better. But culminating their relationship by getting married was going to take their lives to a whole diferent level, one of pure bliss.

Though maybe it wouldn't always be bliss, Will thought, shaking his head. Maybe they would find little things about each other that they'd be irritated by. Only time would tell.

Still, it was a life that he wanted to lead. A life of waking up next to the man he loved every morning, and falling asleep in those strong arms every night. A life of loving and being loved.

A life that he couldn't wait to start, that was just waiting for him.

He smiled again, opening his eyes and sitting up. He had a class that was starting in less than fifteen minutes, and he couldn't be caught sitting here daydreaming.

He couldn't remember the last time that he'd felt so happy, and he knew that it showed in everything that he said and did. He smiled more; he was obviously happier, and several people, even his students, had remarked on it. It was amazing what being in love could do for a person. 

So he might be living in a fairy tale, Will told himself. If he was, then it was one that he was sure would have only the happiest of endings, one that would continue for all of his life.

He could live inside a fairy tale for the rest of his days and be perfectly happy with it.


	31. Personal Paradise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loving Will is like living in paradise -- but Hannibal knows that his past life is the serpent that can bring his Eden crashing to the ground.

Loving Will was like living in a personal paradise. 

Hannibal smiled as he looked over at his fiance´e, his eyes drinking Will in as though he was a cool oasis and Hannibal was a man dying of thirst.

He loved this man beyond belief, beyond anything that he'd ever imagined he could feel. And, wonder of wonders, Will felt the same way about him. It was hard for him to believe.

He had never thought that he would be married, had never even dared to dream of letting himself care for someone enough to want to spend the rest of his life with them, until he had met Will. He had never thought that he was capable of such love. Not him. Not since he was a small child.

But Will had brought something out in him that he hadn't realized was hidden deep within himself -- the desire to love and to be loved in return. It _was_ still there.

How could that be? Hannibal asked himself for perhaps the hundredth time. How could that spark of need have survived within him through all the years, even decades, of loneliness?

Somehow, it had -- and he was grateful for that fact.

He had thought in the past that paradise consisted of living the life he'd always had without being caught, of being able to revel in his ability to slip past any scrutiny. But he had been wrong.

He hadn't truly found paradise until Will Graham had looked at him with love in those incredible blue eyes. Until the moment that their hands had first touched, and those first smiles at each other.

That was when he had truly discovered what he wanted out of life. He wanted Will, and he wanted to be with him forever. Before he'd fallen for this man, "forever" hadn't really seemed to exist. He had always thought that he would either die in some dangerous situation, or be caught at his indiscretions.

But he hadn't been, and it seemed as though Will's love was his reward for being able to continue with his life as it had been for all these years without being discovered.

Life had long seemed as though it was empty and meaningless, despite the suave front that he put on publicly. In fact, as some point, he had almost _wanted_ to be found out.

Now, he no longer felt that way. All he wanted now was to have a life with Will, a life that they would both treasure, a life that he truly felt they deserved with each other.

Hannibal let his thoughts drift back over those empty years, then pushed the memories firmly away from him. He didn't want to think about them any longer. That part of his life was over.

That was all behind him now. For a while, he had toyed with the thought of keeping to his secret life, thinking that it would be exhilarating to hide it from the man who would be his husband. It would be more proof of his intellectual superiority if he could successfully live a double life.

But the more he thought about it, the more he realized that such a secret would be the serpent in his paradise, and that it would eventually tear apart the life he would build with Will.

He didn't need those indiscretions any longer. It might not be easy to give them up, but he was more than willing to sacrifice them for the love that he so desperately wanted.

And he knew that Will couldn't love him as he had been.

Yes, Will had fallen in love with him as he was -- but then again, Will hadn't _known_ the truth about who he was. That knowledge would destroy the love he felt.

Just the thought of losing that love made bile rise in the back of Hannibal's throat. Losing Will was not an option. Not now, and not ever. He _had_ to give up his past life.

He really had no choice in the matter. If he wanted to retain the personal paradise that had come to mean so much to him, if he wanted to marry Will and forge a life together, then he could no longer hold on to those activities that had turned him into who he was. He had to make a new life for himself.

With Will by his side, he could do that. It might not be easy, but nothing worth having ever came easily, he reminded himself. He had said that to others often enough.

He couldn't risk losing what he had found and now held close to him, not for any reason. No matter how hard giving up that life might be for him.

He would do it. For Will. For the love they shared, and their future together.

Will would never discover who he had been, that _he_ was the monster Will had been chasing for so long. That part of his life would be hidden, buried deeply beneath the surface.

It would be obliterated, and no one would ever be able to find any traces that could link it back to him. He wasn't going to take the risk of being exposed. He couldn't afford to. Not now, not when he had everything that he'd ever wanted within his grasp. Not when he was so happy and contented. 

He would bury the past, get rid of everything that would even remind him of it, and Will would never know. The two of them would live a long and happy life together.

The personal paradise that he'd found would be assured.

**Author's Note:**

> This series is a sequel to my earlier "Hannibal in Love" series. Keep in mind that I'm working from a table of ficlet prompts, so these chapters have to fit the guidelines for a ficlet, which means they'll be short (under 1,000 words). Though I may sneak in some longer ones here and there!
> 
> There's so much angst and drama in Will/Hannibal fics that I thought these boys needed a bit of sweet fluff!


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